A FIANNA FÁIL Senator referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for failing to disclose documentation on 2009 donations to the Standards in Public Office Commission supplied the information yesterday.
Mark Daly from Kenmare, Co Kerry, delivered the required document by hand to the commission’s office on Lower Leeson Street in Dublin yesterday morning. The deadline for submission was January 31st.
“Senator Daly has stated that the Standards in Public Office Commission has closed this matter after accepting a late submission of the document that declared he had received no political donations in 2009,” a statement from Senator Daly’s office said.
“Senator Daly did not complete the form pertaining to donations for this period on the basis that he did not receive any political donations in 2009. All other documents were submitted to the Standards in Public Office Commission in advance of the deadline.”
The statement concluded that the donations form was submitted to the commission and the matter had been resolved.
Mr Daly was one of three Oireachtas members referred to the DPP by the commission, which compiles an annual report on donations in accordance with the Electoral Act 1997.
Another Senator, who had been in touch with the commission after the referral to the DPP and had undertaken to submit the completed forms urgently, did so on Monday. The second Senator has not yet been identified.
Meanwhile, a TD also yet to be identified, contacted the commission yesterday and arranged to fax the information to the office, although original documentation will also have to be submitted.
A spokesman for the commission indicated it was satisfied with the information received and said the DPP would decide whether or not to pursue the cases.
“It’s at the discretion of the prosecuting authorities now whether or not to go ahead. We will advise the gardaí and the DPP that documentation has been received,” the spokesman said.
According to the commission’s guidelines, the penalty for failing to provide a donation statement and statutory declaration is a fine of up to €1,269.74 and a further fine of up to €126.97 per day for every day after the conviction on which the failure to provide the documentation continues. Proceedings for the offence may only be instituted by, or with the consent of, the DPP.
