The Prevention of Electoral Abuses Act, 1923

Definition of bribery.

2.—The following persons shall be deemed guilty of bribery, and shall be punishable accordingly:—

(1) Every person who shall, directly or indirectly, by himself, or by any other person on his behalf, give, lend, or agree to give or lend, or shall offer, promise, or promise to procure or to endeavour to procure, any money or valuable consideration or any office, place or employment, to or for any voter, or to or for any person on behalf of any voter or to or for any other person, in order to induce any voter to vote, or to vote in a particular way or to refrain from voting, or shall corruptly do any such act as aforesaid, on account of such voter having voted or voted in a particular way or refrained from voting at any election;

(2) Every person who shall, directly or indirectly, by himself or by any other person on his behalf make any such gift, loan, offer, promise, procurement, or agreement as aforesaid, to or for any person, in order to induce such person to procure, or endeavour to procure, the return of any person to serve in the Oireachtas, or the vote of any voter at any election;

(3) Every person who shall, upon or in consequence of any such gift, loan, offer, promise, procurement, or agreement, procure or engage, promise, or endeavour to procure the return of any person to serve in the Oireachtas, or the vote of any voter at any election;

(4) Every person who shall advance or pay, or cause to be paid, any money to or to the use of any other person with the intent that such money or any part thereof shall be expended in bribery at any election, or who shall knowingly pay or cause to be paid any money to any person in discharge or repayment of any money wholly or in part expended in bribery at any election;

(5) Every voter who shall, before or during any election, directly or indirectly, by himself or by any other person on his behalf, receive, agree, or contract for any money, gift, loan, or valuable consideration, office, place or employment, for himself or for any other person, for voting or agreeing to vote in a particular way or for refraining or agreeing to refrain from voting, or from voting in a particular way, at any election;

(6) Every person who shall, after any election, directly or indirectly, by himself or by any other person on his behalf, receive any money or valuable consideration on account of any person having voted or refrained from voting, or having induced any other person to vote or to refrain from voting, at any election;

(7) Every person who shall, directly or indirectly, by himself or by any other person on his behalf, corruptly induce or procure any person to withdraw from being a candidate at a Dáil or a Seanad election in consideration of any gift, loan, payment, office, place or employment or of any promise of any gift, loan, payment, office, place or employment;

(8) Every person who shall withdraw from being a candidate at a Dáil or a Seanad election in pursuance of any such inducement or procurement as aforesaid:

Provided always that this section shall not extend or be construed to extend to any money paid or agreed to be paid for or on account of any legal expenses bonâ fide incurred at or concerning any election.