POLITICAL PARTIES received nearly €14 million last year from the State to fund their day-to-day operations, but not elections or referendum campaigns, according to the Standards in Public Office Commission’s annual report.
Six political parties, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Labour, Sinn Féin, Progressive Democrats and the Greens, were given funding of €5,609,962 under the Electoral Acts and €8,132,241 under the party leaders allowance legislation.
Under the Electoral Act, parties qualify for funding if they receive more than 2 per cent of the first preference vote at the prior Dáil election.
A common payment of €126,974 is made to all; the rest of the €5 million available from the fund is divided up according to share of the vote.
Fianna Fáil, however, did not spend all of the State money it received. It got €2.28 million in 2008, but had €1.124 million left over from the previous year. It spent just €1.67 million of the €3.4 million available to it in 2008, and it has carried over €1.735 million into this year’s accounts.
Each party qualifies for €71,520 for each of the 10 members elected under the party leaders’ allowance: €57,214 is paid for each of the next 20 and €28,616 for every one thereafter.
The funding is not subject to income tax and may not be used for electoral or referendum purposes. Qualifying parties have to lodge spending records with the standards commission.
Non-party members of the Dáil and Seanad also qualify for State funding under the party leaders allowance legislation. Each such TD was given €41,152 last year, while each non-party senator received €23,383.
The payments – on top of Dáil salaries, expenses and allowances, are made to Independent TDs, Tipperary North’s Michael Lowry, Kerry South’s Jackie Healy-Rae, and Dublin North Central’s Finian McGrath.
Tony Gregory also qualified, and the allowance will now be paid to his successor, ex-schoolteacher Maureen O’Sullivan, who won the recent Dublin Central byelection.
However, the payment is not being made to the now Independent TD Joe Behan because he was elected as a Fianna Fáil TD until he quit the party in protest at the Government’s attempt last year to curb medical card rights for some over-70s.
Under the rules, the money due on Mr Behan continues to be paid to Fianna Fáil.
Last year, Fianna Fáil’s Beverley Flynn ran into controversy after it emerged that she continued to accept the funds after she returned to the ranks of Fianna Fáil.
The total paid to Independents last year was €361,936. However, they are not required to furnish a spending statement to the commission, or anyone else about what they do with this money – something the commission has suggested should be changed.
Independent Senators, Joe O’Toole, Ronan Mullan, David Norris, Eoghan Harris, Shane Ross and Ivana Bacik, who is still listed as a non-party member even though she ran for Labour in the Dublin Central byelection, all receive the €23,383 allowed for non-party Seanad members.
The payments made under the party leaders’ allowance are not subject to income tax, in accordance with ministerial, parliamentary and judicial offices and Oireachtas Members (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2001.
The money is required to be used for general party administration costs; technical or specialist advice required to deal with legislation before the Oireachtas; research and training, or policy formulation.
In addition, parties can use the funds to pay for consultants, including public relations, opinion polling on issues, but not for elections.
Political parties can also use the payments made directly to a party leader to cover costs arising from the role.
