Guidelines for Political Parties on Exchequer funding under the Electoral Acts.

4. Application of funding

Section 18 (1) (a) of the 1997 Act, as amended, provides that funding received by qualified political parties must be applied to the general conduct and management of the party's affairs and the lawful pursuit by it of any of its objectives and, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, any or all of the purposes stated in the following four headings :

- general administration of the party;

- research, education and training;

- policy formulation;

- co-ordination of the activities of branches and members of the party.

Funding received is deemed to include provision in respect of expenditure by qualified parties in relation to the promotion of participation by women and young persons in political activity.

Funding may not be applied to, or to recoup, election expenses (as defined in the Electoral Acts, 1997 to 2002) incurred at Dáil, Seanad, Presidential, European, local or Údarás na Gaeltachta elections. Similarly, funding cannot be used to further any particular outcome at a referendum.

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