Donations to FF TDs far outstrip other parties

Donations received by Fianna Fáil politicians in 2003 substantially outstripped those received by members of all the other political parties, according to figures published today by the Public Office Commission.

TDs, senators and MEPs in Fianna Fáil received €32,229 from political supporters. This represented 77.1 per cent of the €41,828 received by politicians from all parties.

The €41,828 for 2003 is the lowest since disclosure obligations were introduced in 1998 and represents a 90 per cent drop on the €468,760 recorded in 2002 which was an election year.

Figures disclosed by the Commission show that non-party members received €5,039, Labour Party members received €3,560 and Fine Gael received €1,000.

The majority of donations were received by TDs, with Dáil members receiving €32,828 or 78.5 per cent of all donations. Senators received €6,500 and MEPs received €2,500.

Among the top Fianna Fáil TDs who received more than €2,000 included the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, who received €12,000 from the Fianna Fáil Party in the form of the use of his constituency office in Drumcondra in Dublin.

The Minister for Education Mr Noel Dempsey received €2,500 from Ladbrokes Ireland in the form of a sponsorship cheque for a golf classic.

Mr Conor Lenihan received €2,000 from Tipperary Crystal for fundraising golf classic prizes.
 
Minister of State, Mr Willie O'Dea, received €2,500 from Mr Tim Walsh of Ballycummin Estates as a contribution towards constituency office costs.

Dublin South East TD, Mr Eoin Ryan, received €2,500 in the form of a cheque from Tony & Renee Tyrrell.

The Minister for Agriculture, Mr Joe Walsh, received a cheque for €2,539.48 from the Friends of Joe Walsh group which was used as sponsorship for the Friends of Joe Walsh golf classic.

The only Labour Party TD who received over €2,000 was the Leas Ceann Comhairle, Mr Seamus Pattison who received €2,900 from SIPTU in the form of the use of office space.

Under the current obligations, all donations above €634.87 made to TDs, senators, MEPs, and candidates at Dáil, Seanad and European Parliament elections must be declared to the commission.

The current legislation prohibits in TDs, senators and MEPs from accepting donations with a total value exceeding €2,539.48 from the same person in the same year unless it comes in the form of the use of a property for a named constituency office.