26/03/03 - Report on involvement by individuals and groups in the referenda on abortion and the Nice Treaty and the Dáil general election

Details of individuals or groups involved in the referendum on abortion campaign

What follows is a brief description of the individuals or groups who or which contacted the Standards Commission, or otherwise came to the attention of the Standards Commission, in relation to the referendum on abortion.

	Name and address of group	Comments
A1	Mr. John O'Reilly, Secretary, Pro-Life Campaign, 34 Gardiner Street Upr, Dublin 1.	On 4 February 2002 Mr. John O'Reilly, Secretary of the Pro-Life Campaign, wrote to the Standards Commission requesting that the group be registered under the legislation. Following an exchange of correspondence, all of the information required was supplied and registration as a third party was effected. Mr. O'Reilly indicated that in the period from 30 September 2001 to 21 March 2002 the group had received €270,000 and spent €350,000 on the referendum, much of which had been accumulated prior to the coming into operation of the 2001 Act on 1 January 2002.

Following receipt of information that certain other individuals or groups were soliciting donations in relation to the abortion referendum campaign, the Standards Commission wrote to them on 27/28 February 2002 pointing out that they may be covered by the provisions of the legislation. The table below summarises the position:

	Name and address of group	Comments
A2	Pro-Life Movement, c/o 39 Mountjoy Square, Dublin 1.	Mr. David Manley, Secretary of the Pro-Life Movement Association, provided the necessary information and registration as a third party was effected. Mr. Manley indicated that estimated donations were €200,000 and estimated expenses for the operation of the referendum campaign would be €400,000.
A3	Irish Family Planning Association, Solomons House, 42A Pearse Street, Dublin 2.	Mr. Tony O'Brien, Chief Executive of the Irish Family Planning Association, informed the Standards Commission on 28 February 2002 that the Association had not received any donations exceeding €126.97 and accordingly the provisions of the legislation did not apply to it. On 19 April 2002, Mr. O'Brien wrote again to inform the Standards Commission that it had now received a donation in excess of €126.97 and he requested that the Association be registered. Registration was, therefore, effected. Mr. O'Brien informed the Standards Commission that the Association expected to receive donations in the order of €17,000 to €20,000 and that all such donations would be used to meet costs incurred during the abortion referendum campaign.
A4	Alliance for a No Vote, PO Box 8306, Dublin 1.	No reply was received. A reminder issued by registered post on 24 May 2002 requesting that the Standards Commission be informed: a) whether or not Alliance for a No Vote received any donation in excess of €126.97 since 1 January 2002; b) whether Alliance for a No Vote had complied fully with the provisions of the electoral legislation. No reply was received. A further reminder issued on 24 June 2002. No reply was received. On 17 September 2002 the Standards Commission's registered letter of 24 May 2002 was returned by An Post with a note that the letter had been refused. The letter re-issued by ordinary post on the same day. A further letter issued on 14 November 2002 but again no reply was received. Also, on 14 November the Standards Commission wrote to the Mails Revenue Section of An Post, which deals with PO Box Number subscribers, requesting the name and address of the subscriber to PO Box No. 8306. A reply was received from the Solicitor's Office of An Post on 14 January 2003 stating that Senior Counsel opinion was being sought relating to the request for the identity of the subscriber. Further information is awaited.
A5	Mr. Justin Barrett, Mother and Child Campaign, 60a Capel Street, Dublin 1.	No reply was received. A reminder issued on 24 May 2002. No reply was received. A further reminder issued on 24 June 2002. The Standards Commission was contacted on 4 July 2002 by a solicitor who undertook to reply on behalf of the Mother and Child Campaign. On 9 September 2002 a letter dated 31 July 2002 was received which stated that the Mother and Child Campaign does not fall within the Electoral Acts; that it operates a schools education campaign on the development of the unborn child; that the Mother and Child Campaign is not a third party; that the definitions contained in the legislation are somewhat circular in that the definition of a third party refers to receiving a donation for political purposes in excess of €126.97; that the definition of political purposes refers to presenting the policies of a third party, or promoting or opposing the policies of a third party, but a third party in itself is not defined. Following receipt of legal advice by the Standards Commission, and the exchange of further correspondence, the solicitor for the Mother and Child Campaign stated that it did not receive any donations or incur any expenses in relation to the referendum on abortion campaign. Instead, it allowed its name to be used on posters and leaflets which were distributed by the Pro-Life Alliance which is registered as a third party. As the Mother and Child Campaign did not receive any donations valued in excess of €126.97 for political purposes, it is not a third party.
A6	Pro-Life Alliance, 60a Capel Street, Dublin 1.	No reply was received. A reminder issued on 24 May 2002. No reply was received. A further reminder issued on 24 June 2002. The Standards Commission was contacted on 4 July 2002 by a solicitor who undertook to reply on behalf of the Pro-Life Alliance. On 9 September 2002 a letter dated 13 June 2002 was received which acknowledged that the Pro-Life Alliance was a third party; that Mr. Raymond Clare is the responsible person of the group; that it received donations of approximately €25,000 since 1 January 2002 and that those donations had been utilised for the abortion referendum campaign. Registration as a third party was effected.
A7	Youth Defence, 60a Capel Street, Dublin 1.	No reply was received. A reminder issued on 24 May 2002. No reply was received. A further reminder issued on 24 June 2002. The Standards Commission was contacted on 4 July 2002 by a solicitor who undertook to reply on behalf of Youth Defence. On 9 September 2002 a letter dated 31 July 2002 was received which stated that Youth Defence does not fall within the Electoral Acts; that it operates an educational group, providing information to the public on abortion; that Youth Defence is not a third party; that the definitions contained in the legislation are somewhat circular in that the definition of a third party refers to receiving a donation for political purposes in excess of €126.97; that the definition of political purposes refers to presenting the policies of a third party, or promoting or opposing the policies of a third party, but a third party in itself is not defined. Following receipt of legal advice by the Standards Commission, and the exchange of further correspondence, the solicitor for Youth Defence stated that it did not receive any donations or incur any expenses in relation to the referendum on abortion campaign. Instead, it allowed its name to be used on posters which were distributed by the Pro-Life Alliance which is registered as a third party. As Youth Defence did not receive any donations valued in excess of €126.97 for political purposes, it is not a third party.

On 30 April 2002, Mr. Robert J. Durie, Ballyogan House, Graiguenamanagh, Co Kilkenny, wrote to the Standards Commission indicating that he had recently been made aware that Abortion Reform might be required to register as a third party. He gave the following information:

	Name and address of group	Comments
A8	Abortion Reform, PO Box 6862, Dublin 1.	Mr. Durie should be considered as the "responsible person" for Abortion Reform. He indicated that Abortion Reform expected to receive approximately €13,000 in donations and that this amount would be spent on posters, etc. After an exchange of correspondence, registration of Abortion Reform was effected.

The Standards Commission obtained a list of the bodies that had been approved by the Referendum Commission (a separate independent statutory body) for the purposes of section 7 of the Referendum Act, 1998. Seventeen bodies had been approved under that Act, including nine political parties and the groups listed at numbers A1, A2, A3, A5 and A7 above. The following table gives details of contacts by the Standards Commission with the approved bodies other than political parties and the groups referred to above.

	Name and address of group	Comments
A9	Family Solidarity, Ely House, 7/8 Ely Place, Dublin 2.	The Standards Commission wrote to Family Solidarity on 24 May 2002. No reply was received. A reminder issued on 24 June 2002. Mr. Michael O'Toole of Family Solidarity contacted the Standards Commission on 20 August 2002 and said that the matter had been referred to their legal adviser. Mr O'Toole subsequently advised the Standards Commission that Family Solidarity had received no donations for political purposes, exceeding in value €126.97. Accordingly, Family Solidarity is not a third party.
A10	Maynooth Life Society, St Patrick's College, Maynooth, Co. Kildare.	The Standards Commission wrote to Maynooth Life Society on 24 May 2002. No reply was received. A reminder issued on 24 June 2002. On 3 September 2002 Mr. Colm O'Mahony, newly appointed Secretary of Maynooth Life Society, wrote to the Standards Commission to say that he had only recently received the letters from the Standards Commission. He undertook to provide the information requested as soon as possible. By letter dated 27 September 2002, Mr O'Mahony informed the Standards Commission that Maynooth Life Society had not received any donation exceeding €126.97. Accordingly, it is not a third party.
A11	Mrs. Mary Thornton, Éire ar son na Beatha, [Changed from Ireland for Life] Fortaleza, Circular Road, Dangan Upper, Galway.	The Standards Commission wrote to Mrs. Thornton on 24 May 2002. On 31 May 2002 Mrs. Thornton requested information relating to the Electoral Acts. This was provided on 5 June 2002. As no information about the groups activities was received by 24 June 2002, a reminder issued to Mrs Thornton. On 26 June 2002 Mrs. Thornton supplied some of the information required to effect registration as a third party. She listed four donations that had been received totalling €1,207.26. She said that another donation in the amount of €634.87 was returned to the donor. On 4 July 2002 the Standards Commission requested her to provide the outstanding information. On 18 July 2002 Mrs. Thornton advised that the organisation had changed its name to Éire ar son na Beatha and that the responsible person is Mr. Patrick Buckley, Glenrue, Ballinclea Road, Killiney, Co Dublin. Registration as a third party was effected on 18 July 2002.

The Standards Commission also received information that other groups or individuals had been involved in the abortion referendum campaign and had not registered. The action taken by the Standards Commission is outlined in the following table.

	Name and address of group	Comments
A12	European Life Network (Ireland), PO Box 8062, Rathmines, Dublin 6.	The Standards Commission wrote to European Life Network (Ireland) on 24 May 2002. No reply was received. A reminder issued on 24 June 2002. A reply was received from Mrs. Lelia O'Flaherty, 55 York Road, Rathmines, Dublin 6, on 23 July 2002 indicating that only small donations were received, all below the limit of €126.97. One donation was above this figure but it was the proceeds of a number of smaller donations, all less than €126.97. It was not necessary, therefore, for European Life Network (Ireland) to register as a third party.
A13	Human Life International, 6 Belvedere Place, Dublin 1.	The Standards Commission wrote to Human Life International on 24 May 2002. Mr. Patrick McCrystal, Executive Director, replied on 19 June 2002 pointing out that the organisation is an educational, informational charity and is not involved in political lobbying. It did not receive donations for political purposes during the referendum nor did it seek such donations. All donations are used to uphold and promote its charitable and educational aims. It has no intention of entering the political arena. It is not a third party.
A14	Neart, c/o Patrick Buckley, Architect, Glenrue, Ballinclea, Killiney, Co. Dublin.	The Standards Commission wrote to Neart on 24 June 2002. On 8 July 2002 Mr. Buckley replied and stated that Neart did not receive any donations in excess of €126.97 since 1 January 2002. He said that the only involvement of Neart in the abortion referendum campaign was the preparation of a small number of reports and of statements on a voluntary basis for limited distribution. On 9 July 2002 the Standards Commission informed Mr. Buckley that, on the basis of the information provided, Neart was not a third party.
A15	Ms. Nora Bennis, Revington Place, Limerick.	The Standards Commission wrote to Ms. Nora Bennis on 24 June 2002. On 28 June 2002 Ms. Bennis replied and stated that her involvement in the referendum was as a member of Christian Democrats which is a registered political party. The Standards Commission has established that the Christian Democrats political party was an approved body for the purposes of the abortion referendum and accordingly it was not necessary for Ms. Bennis to register as a third party.
A16	SPUC (UK), 5 - 6 St Matthew Street, London SWIP 2JT, England.	The Standards Commission wrote to SPUC (UK) on 24 May 2002 requesting that it inform the Standards Commission if SPUC (UK) funded any groups or individuals in the recent abortion referendum campaign in this country and to provide the names and addresses of any such groups or individuals. No reply was received. A reminder issued on 24 June 2002. A reply has not been received to date. As this organisation is based outside the jurisdiction, no further action is possible.
A17	Mrs. Dana Rosemary Scallan, MEP, Colonial Buildings, Eglington Street, Galway.	The Standards Commission received information that Mrs. Dana Rosemary Scallan was involved in the abortion referendum campaign. As an MEP, Mrs. Scallan is required to furnish, by 31 January each year, details of donations she received during the preceding year. Accordingly, the provisions of the 2001 Act relating to third parties do not apply to her. In her Donation Statement in respect of the year 2001, which she furnished to the Standards Commission on 31 January 2002, Mrs. Scallan disclosed that she received a donation of £750 from Ms. Loretta O'Connor, Cork Pro-Life Group. Her Donation Statement, in respect of 2002, discloses donations as follows: €1,269.74 from Sean Morgan, Roebuck Road, Dublin 14. €1,300.00 from M Long, 23 Carnagh Rd, Dublin 7. €1,000.00 from David O'Hanlon, Kentstown, Co Meath. €2,105.00 from W J Flynn, 320 Park Ave, New York. €1,000.00 from David O'Hanlon, Kentstown, Co Meath.
A18	Ms Olivia Connolly, Alliance for all Life (AAL), 6 Beechwood Road, Dublin 6.	On 1 July 2002 the Standards Commission received a letter from Ms. Olivia Connolly stating that she had just been made aware that her organisation might need to be registered as a third party. An explanatory note setting out the requirements of the legislation was sent to Ms. Connolly on 1 July 2002. She confirmed that AAL spent £2,929.41 during the abortion referendum campaign which was funded by small personal donations from individuals and groups, none exceeding €126.97. Accordingly, the provisions of the legislation do not apply to AAL.

Back to contents