Election Expenses

What they spent Report on disclosure of donations and election expenses at Dáil general election of 2007.

Breakdown

Fianna Fáil €3,650,240.55.

• Fine Gael €2,809,474.25
• The Labour Party €1,477,321.48
• Progressive Democrats €1,012,707.52
• Non-Party €795,862.25
• Sinn Féin €685,095.66
• The Green Party €553,858.70
• Socialist Party €56,125.49
• The Workers Party €30,200.14
• Christian Solidarity Party €11,427.06

People who have not filled returns.

At the time of publication of this report – over four months after the statutory deadline for
receipt of Election Expenses Statements and almost six months after the forms were
originally issued – correctly completed Election Expenses Statements have still not been
received from the following three election agents:
Ms. Trish Forde-Brennan acted as own agent (Green Party, Limerick East) – original form
returned in order that items which were not election expenses could be removed. Amended
Election Expenses Statement form yet to be received.
Mr. Felim McDonnell – election agent for Ms. Margaret Cox (Non-party, Galway West) -
amended Election Expenses Statement not received.
Mr. David Williams – election agent for Ms. Madeleine Taylor Quinn (Fine Gael, Clare) -
clarification required.
In addition the following election agents have yet to furnish invoices/receipts relevant to their
Election Expenses Statements:
Dr. John F. Corish – acted as own agent (non-party, Kildare North) – clarification and
outstanding receipt/invoice required.
Mr. Niall Kelleher – election agent for Mr. Tom Fleming (Fianna Fáil, Kerry South).
Mr. Barry Kennedy – election agent for Mr. Paudie Coffey, Jim D’Arcy and John Deasy (Fine
Gael, Waterford).
Failure on the part of agents to correctly complete their Election Expenses Statements and
delays in returning amended statements create a difficulty for the Standards Commission in
terms of making its report to the Ceann Comhairle and putting the material on public display
in a timely manner. The Standards Commission is conscious of the desirability of having
Donation Statements and Election Expenses Statements on public display as soon as possible
after the statutory deadline for their receipt. It is of the view, however, that before the material
can be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas and put on public display, it must be satisfied
that the information contained therein is correct. To avoid a delay in making the material
available, the Standards Commission could allow what it believed to be incorrectly completed
returns to be put into the public domain. This is not considered to be a satisfactory manner in
which to discharge a statutory duty to the Houses of the Oireachtas and the general public.
Consequently those Election Expenses Statements which have not been finalised are not
being laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. The Standards Commission will continue to
pursue the correct completion of an Election Expenses Statement form and the furnishing of
relevant invoices/receipts with these agents.