Press Releases

Press Release regarding the disclosure of donations received in 2007 by TDs, Senators, MEPs and former Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas

Date Released: 22.04.2008

TDs, Senators, MEPs and former Members disclosed donations with a total value of €855,995.05 for 2007 according to figures published today by the Standards Commission.

The donations included money, property, goods and services. Only donations valued at more than €634.87 require to be disclosed. If the same donor makes more than one donation to the same TD, Senator, MEP or former member during a calendar year, the values of the donations must be aggregated and disclosure made if the total is greater than €634.87.

A total of 297 Donation Statements were received in relation to 2007. In the case of persons who were members of both Houses during 2007 and MEPs who were also Members, a single Donation Statement only was required. 80 TDs, 40 Senators, 12 MEPs and 47 former Members furnished a "nil" Donation Statement. Donations valued at €13,820.52 were returned to the donors as donations in excess of the maximum prescribed acceptance limit of €2,539.48.

Of the figure for total donations disclosed, a total of €74,651.98 had already been disclosed by Members/former Members and representatives in the European Parliament who had also been unsuccessful candidates at the Dáil or Seanad general elections. One donation (valued at €3,300) was disclosed by a person who was not a candidate at either the Dáil or Seanad general elections. Given that the value of donations already disclosed by unsuccessful candidates at the Dáil and Seanad general elections is €579,596.07 (€531,379.82 at the Dáil general election and €48,216.25 at the Seanad general election), a total of €1,343,818.62 can be said to have been disclosed by successful and unsuccessful candidates at the Dáil and Seanad general elections of 2007.

TDs, Senators and MEPs are prohibited from accepting foreign donations or from accepting anonymous donations exceeding a value of €126.97. They are also prohibited from accepting donations with a total value exceeding €2,539.48 from the same person in the same year. One TD notified the Standards Commission of the receipt of an anonymous donation in excess of €126.97. The donation was remitted to the Standards Commission. Seven TDs and one Senator informed the Standards Commission of the receipt of a donation which was in excess of the maximum prescribed limit. In each case the excess donations were returned to the donors.

The Standards Commission's report to the Ceann Comhairle concerning the Donation Statements received from TDs, Senators and MEPs in respect of 2007 is available on the Commission's website. A breakdown of the donations disclosed to the Standards Commission follows:

The donations disclosed can be broken down as follows:

TDs disclosed donations valued at €711,463.07 (of which €11,320.52 was returned to donors)

Senators disclosed donations valued at €102,581.98 (of which €2,500 was returned to a donor and €46,301.98 had previously been disclosed)

One MEP disclosed donations valued at €8,000.00. (These donations had previously been disclosed on her Donation Statement as an unsuccessful candidate at the Dáil general election)

Former members of the Dáil disclosed donations of €17,300 (of which €14,000 had previously been disclosed)

Former members of the Seanad disclosed donations of €16,650 (of which €6,350 had previously been disclosed)

A breakdown of the donations categorised by political party shows that:

Members of Fianna Fáil disclosed the highest proportion of donations with a total value of €517,871.16 (of which €8,960.52 was returned to donors and €18,039.48 had previously been disclosed)

Members of Fine Gael disclosed €130,791.92 (of which €4,860 was returned to donors and €18,020 had previously been disclosed)

Members of the Labour Party disclosed €54,810 (of which €10,850 had previously been disclosed)

Members of the Green Party disclosed €24,942.50 (of which €10,742.50 had previously been disclosed)

Members of Sinn Féin disclosed €17,650 (of which €9,000 had previously been disclosed)

One member of the Progressive Democrats disclosed €7,800

One member of the Socialist Party disclosed donations of €5,000 (all of which had previously been disclosed)

Non-Party members disclosed donations of €97,129.47 (of which €3,000 had previously been disclosed)

The persons disclosing the highest donations were as follows:

1.   Joe Behan TD (FF) - €37,600
2.   John McGuinness TD (FF) - €32,500
3.   Senator Rónán Mullen (NP) - €32,030
4.   Darragh O'Brien TD (FF) - €28,266
5.   Seán Connick TD (FF) - €25,500
6.   Jackie Healy-Rae TD (NP) - €24,900
7.   Christy O'Sullivan TD (FF) - €22,900
8.   Micheál Martin TD (FF) - €22,135
9.   Áine Brady TD (FF) - €22,000
10. Mattie McGrath TD (FF) - €20,500

Appendices to report showing details of donations disclosed

Appendix 1 - Donations disclosed by Fianna Fáil TDs (PDF)
Appendix 2 - Donations disclosed by Fine Gael TDs (PDF)
Appendix 3 - Donations disclosed by Labour Party, Green Party, Sinn Féin and Non-Party TDs (PDF)
Appendices 4 -6 - Donations disclosed by Senators (PDF)
Appendices 7 - 9 Donations disclosed by MEPs, former TDs and former Senators
Appendix 10 - Donations disclosed by individual donors

Further Information: - Aidan Moore 01-639 5712 or 087 9175186

Issued by the Standards in Public Office Commission on 22 April 2008

Telephone: 01-6395666
Fax: 01-6395684
email: sipo@sipo.gov.ie
Website: http://www.sipo.gov.ie

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