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Donate to Local Election Candidates by PayPal (?)
Read more about: Irish Election, Labour Party 
Interesting aside at the web briefing from micandidate.eu tonight (more of which when my brain has digested it, thanks to Alexia for Qikking it though, many more insights on twitter). They plan to allow candidates to solicit donations via their website, which I think has issues with regard to Standards in Public Office over and above the source of the money (determining whether a donor is a citizen). I thought it might have been a first foray but it turns out that Labour local election candidate in Kilkenny (and surely one of those being observed for the web roundups) Sean Butler is soliciting donations via Paypal on his blog.
I would love to hear what kind of issues Butler and micandidate are facing with regard to Standards in Public Office rules as conversations I have had suggest that a donation system online for parties and candidates is too big a grey area at the moment – the law is messy and SIPO are not forgiving in their interpretation. I know Keith and perhaps the Tuppenceworth crew have background in this, though I don’t doubt Butler had done his homework on this.
Labour has an online donations system (using WorldPay).
You have to give a valid credit card address and tick a box saying you’re either a resident or a citizen.
Libertas are also taking donations via their website.
I too am soliciting money via paypal on my site.
SIPO don’t have to worry though as I have received €0 so far.
As long as person is Irish Citizen there is no problem as long as it is within the set amounts.
What protections are there to prevent non-Irish citizens donating to canidates?
I’m also taking donations via Paypal my website. I have a warning on the donations page (http://www.hopeforgalway.ie/main/donate/) to the effect that I will only take donations from Irish residents or citizens.
James Hope
Galway
Hi.
Just found your article. I have and am still getting donations via paypal.
SIPO will have nothing to worry about. PayPal registers the name and address of all donations. No brown envoples here.
In fact donations via PayPal are more easily traced than any other method.
If you wish to donation visit my blog and give it a go. The normal donation is between €20 and €50 euro.
Thus far it has been very successful.
Sean
Ciarán Cuffe has being doing it for about a year or two now and while talking with him at a GP convention congratulating him on his internet efforts. he mentioned he had a paypal account on his site and asked me at the time was there any way of making sure that the payments were from Ireland. so this has been an issue for a while now. but the donations have always been to small for most to notice. (don’t have to declare amounts under €127).
I suppose it’s no different than having a race night or a raffle. You have to presume that people are being honest about their nationality/residency. At least this way you have the opportunity to ask them directly.