Electoral Act, 1997

Donation statement.

24.—(1) (a) Not later than the 31st day of January in every year, each person who, in the preceding year, was a member of either House of the Oireachtas or a representative in the European Parliament shall furnish to the Public Offices Commission a written statement, in the form directed by the said Commission, in respect of the preceding year indicating whether during that year the member or representative, as the case may be, received a donation exceeding in value the relevant amount specified in subsection (4) and stating in respect of each such donation (if any)—

(i) the value of the donation, and

(ii) the name, description and postal address of the person by or on whose behalf the donation was made.

(b) Not later than the 31st day of March in every year, each political party shall furnish to the Public Offices Commission a written statement, in the form directed by the said Commission, in respect of the preceding year indicating whether during that year the party received a donation exceeding in value the relevant amount specified in subsection (4) and stating in respect of each such donation (if any)—

(i) the value of the donation, and

(ii) the name, description and postal address of the person by or on whose behalf the donation was made.

(2) (a) Not later than the fifty sixth day after the polling day at a Dáil or European election in a constituency, each candidate at the election who was not elected at such election shall furnish to the Public Offices Commission a written statement, in the form directed by the said Commission, indicating whether in relation to the election the candidate received a donation exceeding in value the relevant amount specified in subsection (4) including in the case of a candidate at a Dáil election, donations received in relation to that election at any time before the issue of the writ or writs in relation to the election and, in the case of a candidate at a European election, donations received at any time before the date of the order appointing polling day at the election and furnishing in respect of each such donation the information referred to at subparagraphs (i) and (ii) of paragraph (a) of subsection (1).

(b) Not later than the fifty sixth day after the relevant day on which the poll is closed at a Seanad election, each candidate at the election who was not elected at such election shall furnish to the Public Offices Commission a written statement, in the form directed by the said Commission, indicating whether in relation to the election the candidate received a donation exceeding in value the relevant amount specified in subsection (4) including donations received before the date of the order appointing days and times at a Seanad general election under section 12 of the Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act, 1937 , or a Seanad general election order made under section 24 of the Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) Act, 1947 , or the date of a Seanad bye-election order under either such Act, as the case may be, and furnishing in respect of each such donation the information referred to at subparagraphs (i) and (ii) of paragraph (a) of subsection (1).

(3) A statement furnished pursuant to subsection (1) or (2) (to be known, and is referred to in this Act, as a “donation statement”) shall be accompanied by a statutory declaration made by the person by whom the statement is furnished that, to the best of the person's knowledge and belief, the statement is correct in every material respect and that the person has taken all reasonable action in order to be satisfied as to the accuracy of the statement.

(4) The specified amount for the purposes of this section shall be, as respects a political party, £4,000, and as respects any other person, £500.

(5) In the case of a political party, the donation statement shall be furnished and the statutory declaration shall be made by the appropriate officer of the party.

(6) It shall be the duty of every person who is required by this section to furnish a donation statement and make a declaration to make such enquiries and maintain such records as are necessary for the purpose of furnishing the said statement and making the declaration.

(7) (a) The Public Offices Commission shall cause a copy of each donation statement and declaration furnished in pursuance of this section to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas.

(b) On or before the first day of May in each year, the Public Offices Commission shall inform the Minister for Finance, in writing, whether a donation statement in respect of the preceding year has been received from a qualified party.