Report re spending at Dáil General Election of 2002 (Text)

Chapter 4 Matters which are not regarded as election expenses

Paragraph 2 of the Schedule to the Electoral Acts provided that the following shall not be regarded as election expenses:

(a) any of the matters referred to in subparagraphs (i) to (v) of section 22(2)(b) of the Electoral Acts as follows:

(i) free post service provided to candidates (i.e. Litir um Thoghcán);

(ii) any payment, service or facility provided to a person out of public funds or moneys provided by an institution of the European Communities or other intergovernmental organisation to which the State is a party, pursuant to specified legislation, by virtue of the person being:

• a representative in the European Parliament;
• a member of either House of the Oireachtas;
• the holder of a qualifying office or position;
• the holder of an elective or other public office; or
• a member of, delegate to or representative in a body established by or under an agreement or arrangement to which the State is a party;

(iii) a free service provided by an individual, including use of the individual's motor vehicle, where the service is not part of the individual's work or business, or

a service provided at an election by an employee of a political party, including use of the individual's motor vehicle, where the employee's remuneration is paid out of party resources or out of public funds and where the employee is not in receipt of any reward or benefit in kind other than his or her normal remuneration (including recoupment of expenses) for that service;

(iv) normal media coverage on radio or television or in newspapers, magazines, etc.;

(v) the transmission on radio or television of a broadcast on behalf of a candidate or a political party;

(b) election expenses incurred at a previous Dáil, European Parliament or local election which were disclosed in an Election Expenses Statement furnished to the Standards Commission (or its predecessor the Public Offices Commission) or to a local authority;

(c) any expenses in respect of any property, services or facilities so far as those expenses fall to be met out of public funds;

(d) necessary travelling expenses incurred by a candidate or an assentor in meeting the requirements of section 46(4A) and (4B) of the Electoral Act of 1992 and section 12(1A) and (1B) of the Electoral Act of 1997;

(e) the cost of purchasing copies of the register of electors;

(f) the reasonable living expenses (including accommodation) of a candidate and volunteers working on his or her behalf (the Standards Commission determined that an amount of €20 per person per day (not including accommodation) would be regarded as reasonable living expenses);

(g) any sum disbursed by any individual out of the individual's own resources for any minor expenses (not exceeding €126.97 in any one payment) lawfully incurred in relation to the election if the said sum is not repaid to the person.

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