Press Releases

Press Release re Report on Third Parties and the Referendum on the Lisbon Treaty

Date Released: 13.03.2009

The Standards Commission has published a report on its supervision of the "third party" provisions of the electoral legislation at the Referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon in 2008. Prepared by the Commission at the request of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the report points to deficiencies in the law and suggests areas for improvement.

The Commission suggests 4 main areas for improvement:

1. Criteria for registration as a third party

If the activities of third parties are to be regulated effectively, then registration should be based on intention to incur expenditure in a particular election or referendum campaign rather than on the motivation of actual or potential donors.

2. Registration for a particular campaign

The legislation should allow for registration for a particular campaign or on an on-going basis.

3. Transparency in funding and expenditure on campaigns

Third parties and political parties should be required to disclose details of expenditure on referendum campaigns. Similarly, information should be made available on the sources of funding available to both third parties and political parties.

4. Sanctions for non-cooperation with the Standards Commission

The sanctions provided for under the legislation should be reviewed. In particular, failure to cooperate with enquiries made by the Standards Commission under section 4(4) of the Act should constitute an offence.

The report gives details of the Commission's contacts with some of the registered 3rd parties following the Lisbon Treaty campaign - Libertas, CÓIR, the Campaign against EU Constitution and the Irish Alliance for Europe.

The Standards Commission welcomes recent announcements by An Taoiseach and the Minister on greater controls on donations and spending at elections and referendums. The Standards Commission hopes that the suggestions in its report will assist in the review of the current legislation.

Here is a link to the Standards Commission's Report

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

For further information please contact SIPOC at (01) 639 5666, or
Aidan Moore (01) 6395712

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