Four TDs and senators received 3,000 euro in donations last year

Four politicians declared donations totalling 3,000 euro last year, new figures show.

According to the Standards in Public Office Commission (Sipo), two TDs and two senators received 3,800 euro in total donations last year, but after refunds were made the net total received was 3,000 euro.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik declared a 1,000 euro donation, Fianna Fail senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee recorded a 800 euro donation, while Fianna Fail senator Shane Cassells listed a 1,000 euro donation.

Fianna Fail TD Cathal Crowe received 1,000 euro in a cash donation, but returned 800 euro to the donor due to Sipo rules over cash donations.

The total figure of 3,000 euro was down significantly from the 64,875 euro donations received in 2020.

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The independent organisation said the general election held in February 2020 was the likely reason for the relatively high value of donations disclosed for 2020.

A total of 233 public representatives — 160 TDs, 59 senators, 13 members of the European Parliament and one former TD –  were required to return donation statements for the 12-month period.

Under the Electoral Act, public representatives are not allowed to accept donations in any year of more than 200 euro in cash and not more than 1,000 euro in total value from a single source.

They must disclose any donations valued at (or totalling) 600 euro or more from an individual source to Sipo.

Donations below this reporting threshold do not need to be disclosed to the independent body.

Consequently, the Sipo report reflects only those donations over the reporting threshold and does not account for all donations received by members.

The report also showed that two individual donors made payments totalling 3,570 euro last year to political parties and representatives.

The equivalent figure for 2020 was 39,189 euro.

Jack O’Connor made four donations linked to the Labour Party last year. He donated 1,250 euro to the Labour Party, 750 euro to Kildare South Labour Party, 120 euro to the Newbridge branch of the Labour Party and 500 euro to Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik.

Trade union Siptu declared a 950 euro donation to former Labour TD for Sligo-Leitrim Declan Bree.

Individuals must return a donation statement to Sipo if they make donations of more than 1,500 euro in total to two or more persons who were members of the same political party when the donations were made or to a political party and to one of more of its members.