Annual Report 2002

Costs in 2002

Table J below outlines the expenditure incurred by the Standards Commission in 2002. The figures for 2001 are also shown for comparison purposes. The expenditure is provided for in Subhead B of Vote 17 [Ombudsman].

All of the figures, with the exception of Consultancy and Legal Fees, show a marked increase in 2002 over 2001 due mostly to the fact that general elections to Dáil and Seanad Éireann were held in 2002. Additional staff were recruited to manage the workload associated with the general elections and other substantial new areas of responsibility assigned to the Standards Commission under both the Ethics and Electoral Acts.

The increase in Travel and Expenses was as a result of the programme of regional visits undertaken by staff of the Standards Commission in relation to the Dáil general election, as outlined earlier in this report.

The figure for Incidental Expenses normally covers the cost of public notices in national and local newspapers advertising the availability for public inspection of material furnished to the Standards Commission under the Electoral Acts and drawing attention to the statutory obligations attaching to companies, trades unions, building societies, etc., to disclose details of donations made by them. Additional public notices were published in 2002 to alert persons, other than candidates and political parties, who intended to incur expenses at the Dáil general election, of the requirements of the legislation in this regard. Separate public notices were also published to draw attention to the legal requirements attaching to third parties who intended to become involved in the referendum on abortion and the Nice Treaty referendum.

The increase under the Postal and Telecommunications heading is attributable to the Dáil and Seanad general elections.

The increases under the headings Office Machinery and Other Office Supplies and Office Premises is attributable to the fact that the office of the Standards Commission was relocated to Longphort House, Lower Leeson Street, Dublin 2, during 2002.

The reduction in Consultancy and Legal Fees reflects the fact that the former Public Offices Commission conducted a formal investigation under the Ethics Act in 2001 and, as well as additional services provided by its solicitor, engaged a Junior and Senior Counsel for that purpose. There was no similar investigation in 2002.

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