Parties not disclosing all donations - SIPO

[Helium Three]

The focus on politics and money might shift back to the parties in the wake of a SIPO report today. There was an €8.8m gap between disclosed political donations and the amount spent by parties on their 2007 general election campaigns.

The Standards in Public Office Commission says that GE donations declared by political parties total just over €250,000 for 2007, the vast bulk of which came from their own elected representatives. The Commission has called for greater transparency saying it was obvious that parties are soliciting donations that are below the threshold for declaration of €5,078.95.

The differences for the various parties between donations received by the party, and its candidates (successful or unsuccessful) and the amount spent during the three week election campaign are as follows: Fianna Fáil - €3m; Fine Gael - €2.6m; Labour - €1.3m; PDs - €1m; Sinn Féin - €450,000; Greens - €476,000

More on the RTE site

[Helium Three]

After all the fuss here about Libertas money - and even the tenacious Colm Keena has had to admit today that they are likely to be able to comply fully with the rules - I was sure there would be loads of interest in this story about the even bigger money trail leading to the political parties. All perfectly legal of course.

Anyone think SIPO deserves support in its call for more transparency?

[codology]

oh jesus not another tribunal no no no.

[returning officer]

I would make it illegal to make any donation above €250.00 to a political party, unless it went through SIPO with the party paid quaterly in one cummulative payment so that the party does not know fom whom it comes. Payment to SIPO to be made by bank draft only - thereby leaving no verifiable money trail. It would be an offence to disclose to a politician/party that a donation above €250.00 had been made. Unenforceable I know, but it would be mean that anyone willing enough to breach it, is dishonest enough to have simply withdrawn the cash and not paid it over, but told the politician "they were looked after".

Or else just ban corporate donations and replace it with state fundng index linked to numbers of TDs and vote cast in the last general election (thereby giving an incentive to all political parties to get their vote out).

Then give SIPO real powers of investigation with garda powers of search warrants etc and they should not have to wait for a complaint to act.

[Helium Three]

That sounds like a good scheme RO.

Anyone object?

[Keith-M]

Why make rules and regulations and then flaunt them? SIPO should have the power to declare the election invalid.

[Helium Three]

SIPO is saying the rules are leaky.

[joemomma]

After all the fuss here about Libertas money - and even the tenacious Colm Keena has had to admit today that they are likely to be able to comply fully with the rules - I was sure there would be loads of interest in this story about the even bigger money trail leading to the political parties. All perfectly legal of course.

Anyone think SIPO deserves support in its call for more transparency?

Of course! And naturally you would agree that this should apply equally to private political concerns such as Libertas?

[rockofcashel]

Anyone with an eye and a brain in their head, would know that the SIPO regulations are about as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike.

As someone who has gone through the SIPO mill twice (once as a candidate, once as a DOE), the system is a running joke.

The regulations allow for about 15k of spending (inclusive of benefit in kind spending) in a 3 seater like Tipp South, but the 3 main parties would spend more than that on election posters and 1 piece of posted literature alone.

When you take into account that the main parties also have to sign over a portion of their spending to the "central party allowance", the amount that can be legitimately spent locally is even smaller.

But there are no controls whatsoever. Some of the returns made to SIPO would be more fantastial fairytales than anything Hans Christian Anderson ever wrote

[C&AG]

Anyone with an eye and a brain in their head, would know that the SIPO regulations are about as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike.

But there are no controls whatsoever. Some of the returns made to SIPO would be more fantastial fairytales than anything Hans Christian Anderson ever wrote

:mrgreen:

Sinn Fein declared the most in donations this year while the bigger parties have only declared a tenth of what Sinn Fein declared ..

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/break ... 816972.ece