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

Summary - Election spending (column 3 of table)

The following is the position relation to groups that registered with the Standards Commission under section 31(7) of the 1997 Act:

Election Expenses Statements have been received in respect of N9/N10 Unified Group (B1), Pro-Life Campaign (B3), N9 Action Group (B4), Navan Lobby Group (B5), Vote Local Vote Drogheda Campaign (B6), Ballyfin Parents Council (B7), Mr. Michael Prendergast (B8) and Flouride Free Water (B11);
an Election Expenses Statement was received on 29 July 2002 from the election agent of Mr. Sean McManus which takes account of the election expenses incurred by Mr. Joe McManus (B10). Accordingly, it was not necessary for Mr. Joe McManus to register under section 31(7) and it is not now necessary for him to furnish an Election Expenses Statement;
No Incineration Alliance (B2), although it registered to incur expenses, did not incur expenses and, accordingly, did not complete an Election Expenses Statement;
the expenses incurred by Campaign Against Service Charges (B9), which had registered under section 31 (7), were incurred on leaflets which were circulated prior to the dissolution of the Dáil and, accordingly it was not necessary for the group to register under section 31 (7). No further action will be necessary;

The following is the position in relation to groups that did not register under section 31 (7):

no action is proposed in relation to Farmers Positive Action Group (B14);
the expenses incurred by the National Women's Council of Ireland (B16), Ennis Chamber of Commerce (B17), Campaign Against the Bin Tax (B22) and Amnesty International (B23) were not election expenses and, accordingly, do not come within the provisions of the electoral legislation;
a repsonse to correspondence is awaited from MIJAG (B18);
five groups, Galway for Safe Environment (B12), Elect Carlow Candidates Organisation (ECCO) (B15), the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) (B13), Focus Ireland (B19) and The Carers Association (B24) have acknowledged that they incurred election expenses and, accordingly, it would appear that they may have committed an offence as they did not register with the Standards Commission, in advance, under section 31(7) of the 1997 Act. Each of the five groups has completed an Election Expenses Statement and the Standards Commission has decided not to pursue the matter further with them;
Anti-Fascist Action (B20) had indicated that the expenses incurred were minimal and that most of their leaflets were photocopied. In view of the limited nature of the expenses incurred by this group, and the fact that the expenses might not be regarded as election expenses, it is not necessary to pursue this case further;
Residents Against Racism (B21) have not acknowledged or replied to the Standards Commission's correspondence. This case should be treated in the same way as Anti-Fascist Action (B20) and no further action needs to be taken against this group.

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