23/12/09 - Report to Ceann Comhairle re European Elections of 5 June 2009 (pdf and text versions)

Disclosure of donations

4.1    Disclosure of donations by unsuccessful candidates

Each unsuccessful candidate at the European Parliament elections was required to furnish to the Standards Commission, within 56 days after polling day (i.e., by 31 July 2009), a Donation Statement, and accompanying documentation, indicating whether or not, at any time in relation to the election, the candidate received a donation with a value greater than €634.87.  If no such donation was received, the candidate was required to furnish a "nil" return. Where a donation of such value was received, the value and nature of each donation together with the name, a description and the postal address of the donor were required to be disclosed.

Failure to furnish a Donation Statement and Statutory Declaration within 56 days of polling day is an offence under section 25 of the Act. Four candidates have failed to furnish a Donation Statement while 10 were late in doing so; the latest statement received was on 25 November.

11 of the 32 unsuccessful candidates disclosed that they had received a donation valued in excess of €634.87 in relation to the elections. The total value of the donations disclosed was €86,431.53. Details are given in Appendix II to this report.

4.2    Disclosure of donations by the elected candidates

The 12 elected candidates are required, as Members of the European Parliament,  to furnish to the Standards Commission, by 31 January each year, an annual Donation Statement and accompanying documentation.  These Donation Statements will contain details of any donations received by them during 2009 including any donations received in relation to the European Parliament elections.

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