Friends of Sinn Féin, the party’s US lobbying and fundraising arm, which has transferred millions of euro to the party in Northern Ireland over the past two decades, is not a subsidiary for accounting reasons, the party has said.
Consolidated accounts filed earlier this year by political parties with the public ethics watchdog – the Standards in Public Office Commission (Sipo) in Dublin – must for the first time include the finances of qualifying subsidiaries at home and abroad.
The Sinn Féin accounts for 2024 include party operations on both sides of the Border as well as the finances of Republican Merchandising Ltd, the Dublin company that runs the party’s retail book and merchandise operation.
However, the accounts do not include the finances of Friends of Sinn Féin (FOSF), the US body that regularly transfers large sums to Sinn Féin in Belfast. Foreign political donations are not allowed in the Republic.
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The US organisation also funds trips to the US by senior Sinn Féin figures who brief US politicians and attend fundraising events.
Under the new rules governing political party accounts, an organisation is a subsidiary if it “is effectively controlled by the political party”, Sipo guidelines say.
In deciding whether a body is a subsidiary, parties should consider “the substance of the relationship in addition to any formal or legal relationship”, Sipo says.
Parties should also consider the extent to which the assets and activities of the body are for the benefit of the party, the new rules say.
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Friends of Sinn Féin Inc, based in New York, had registered as a “foreign agent” with the Department of Justice in the United States in the mid-1990s.
The US department’s website says FOSF is registered “as an agent of Sinn Féin”.
In six-monthly filings FOSF files in the US, it describes Sinn Féin as its “principal” and says all income and expenditure is raised and spent on behalf of Sinn Féin.
The most recent submission, for the six months to the end of October, shows donations received of $57,700 (€50,000) and expenditure of $267,000.
In its previous submission for the six months to the end of April, it declared expenditure of $207,862 and income of $264,184.
The expenditure included $26,938 transferred to Sinn Féin in Belfast. The US organisation does not publish annual financial accounts.
Political activity listed in the 2025 submissions includes lobbying and attendance at public functions in the US by Sinn Féin politicians Mary Lou McDonald, Paul Maskey MP, John Finucane MP, Cathal Mallaghan MP, Galway East TD Louis O’Hara, Kathleen Funchion MEP and Linda Dillon MLA as well as Sinn Féin’s chef de cabinet, Dawn Doyle.
The UK’s Electoral Commission website shows Mr Finucane declared two donations from FOSF this year totalling £5,756 (€6,594) to fund trips to the US “to brief Irish citizens and the wider diaspora on political developments and the potential for Irish unity”.
His party colleague, Pat Cullen MP, declared a donation of £3,369 to fund attendance at events concerning Irish unity in Nashville, Cincinnati and Chicago.
Sinn Féin said FOSF did not have to be included in its consolidated accounts and said it complied fully with all political finance regulations and reporting requirements.
“The 2024 audited party accounts were prepared in accordance with the new Electoral Reform Act, which introduced updated requirements relating to subsidiaries and financial reporting overseen by Sipo,” the party said.
“Under these provisions, Friends of Sinn Féin (FOSF) is not considered a subsidiary of the party for reporting purposes. Their financial statements are publicly available.
“Sipo has not raised any concerns. We will continue to engage with Sipo to ensure full compliance with the legislation.”
Asked about the non-inclusion of FOSF in Sinn Féin’s consolidated accounts, Sipo said its review of the political parties’ statement of accounts for 2024 was ongoing.
“In relation to the specific questions you put, due to the nature of Sipo’s role as an impartial oversight body and in order to be fair to all parties involved we would not be able to provide any comment regarding cases of compliance,” it said.
Sinn Féin, in the 32 counties, declared total income in 2024 of €7.9 million. Fianna Fáil declared €6.1 million and Fine Gael €6.3 million.
Sipo says no party can receive state funding under the Electoral Act 1997 unless it, Sipo, has told the Minister for Public Expenditure it is satisfied the party has supplied a set of accounts that “substantially complies” with the Act.
