Ireland
| Question | Value |
|---|---|
1. Is there a ban on donations from foreign interests to political parties? |
Code
Yes
|
2. Is there a ban on donations from foreign interests to candidates? |
Code
Yes
|
3. Is there a ban on corporate donations to political parties? |
Code
No
Comment
.
|
4. Is there a ban on corporate donations to candidates? |
Code
No
Comment
.
|
5. Is there a ban on donations from Trade Unions to political parties? |
Code
No
Comment
.
|
6. Is there a ban on donations from Trade Unions to candidates? |
Code
No
|
7. Is there a ban on anonymous donations to political parties? |
Code
Yes, above certain threshold
Comment
Ban on anonymous donations exceeding EUR 100 [I$ 103]
|
8. Is there a ban on anonymous donations to candidates? |
Code
Yes, above certain threshold
Comment
Ban on anonymous donations exceeding ?100 [I$ 103].
|
9. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with government contracts to political parties? |
Code
No
Source
|
10. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with government contracts to candidates? |
Code
No
Source
|
11. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with partial government ownership to political parties? |
Code
No
Source
|
12. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with partial government ownership to candidates? |
Code
No
Source
|
13. Is there a ban on the use of state resources in favour or against a political party or candidate? |
Code
Yes
|
14. Is there a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during a non-election specific period? |
Code
Yes, for both natural and legal persons
Comment
Political parties must not accept more than ?2,500 [I$2,590] from any person, directly or indirectly, during a particular year. Source
Art 9, 'Section 23A (inserted by section 49(d) of the Act of 2001) ofthe Act of 1997 is amended by substituting the following subsectionfor subsection (1):?(1) Without prejudice to subsection (2), none of the followingpersons, namely?(a) a member of either House of the Oireachtas,(b) a member of the European Parliament,(c) a candidate at a D?il, Seanad or European election,(d) a political party,(e) a third party, or(f) an accounting unit,shall, directly or through any intermediary, accept from a particularperson in a particular year?(i) a donation the value of which exceeds, in case thefirst-mentioned person falls within paragraph (a),(b), or (c), ?1,000,(ii) a donation the value of which exceeds, in case thefirst-mentioned person falls within paragraph (d),(e), or (f), ?2,500, or(iii) a donation of cash of an amount which exceeds?200.?.' (Source: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Act 2012) |
15. If there is a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during a non-election specific period, what is the limit? |
Code
Annual limit is €2,500 [I$2,590]
Comment
. |
16. Is there a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during an election? |
Code
No
Comment
No specific contribution limit in relation to elections, annual limit applies. Source
Art 9, 'Section 23A (inserted by section 49(d) of the Act of 2001) ofthe Act of 1997 is amended by substituting the following subsectionfor subsection (1):?(1) Without prejudice to subsection (2), none of the followingpersons, namely?(a) a member of either House of the Oireachtas,(b) a member of the European Parliament,(c) a candidate at a D?il, Seanad or European election,(d) a political party,(e) a third party, or(f) an accounting unit,shall, directly or through any intermediary, accept from a particularperson in a particular year?(i) a donation the value of which exceeds, in case thefirst-mentioned person falls within paragraph (a),(b), or (c), ?1,000,(ii) a donation the value of which exceeds, in case thefirst-mentioned person falls within paragraph (d),(e), or (f), ?2,500, or(iii) a donation of cash of an amount which exceeds?200.?.' (Source: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Act 2012) |
17. If there is a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during an election, what is the limit? |
|
18. Is there a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a candidate? |
Code
Yes, for both natural and legal persons
Comment
. Source
Art 9, 'Section 23A (inserted by section 49(d) of the Act of 2001) ofthe Act of 1997 is amended by substituting the following subsectionfor subsection (1):?(1) Without prejudice to subsection (2), none of the followingpersons, namely?(a) a member of either House of the Oireachtas,(b) a member of the European Parliament,(c) a candidate at a D?il, Seanad or European election,(d) a political party,(e) a third party, or(f) an accounting unit,shall, directly or through any intermediary, accept from a particularperson in a particular year?(i) a donation the value of which exceeds, in case thefirst-mentioned person falls within paragraph (a),(b), or (c), ?1,000,(ii) a donation the value of which exceeds, in case thefirst-mentioned person falls within paragraph (d),(e), or (f), ?2,500, or(iii) a donation of cash of an amount which exceeds?200.?.'Art 21, 'Section 48A (inserted by section 49(h) of the Act of 2001) ofthe Act of 1997 is amended by substituting the following subsectionfor subsection (1):(1) Without prejudice to subsection (2), none of the followingpersons, namely?(a) a candidate,(b) a presidential election agent, or(c) a third party at a presidential election,shall directly or through any intermediary, accept from a particularperson in a particular year?(i) a donation the value of which exceeds, in case thefirst-mentioned person falls within paragraph (a) or(b), ?1,000,(ii) a donation the value of which exceeds, in case thefirst-mentioned person falls within paragraph (c),?2,500, or(iii) a donation of cash of an amount which exceeds?200.?. (Source: GRECO (2009) Evaluation Report on Ireland, Transparency of Party Funding (Theme II)) |
19. If there is a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a candidate, what is the limit? |
Code
Annual limit is €1,000 [I$1,030]
Comment
. |
20. Is there a limit on the amount a candidate can contribute to their own election campaign? |
|
21. Is there a limit on in-kind donations to political parties? |
|
22. Is there a limit on in-kind donations to candidates? |
|
23. Is there a ban on political parties engaging in commercial activities? |
|
24. Is there a ban on political parties taking loans in relation to election campaigns? |
|
25. Is there a ban on candidates taking loans in relation to election campaigns? |
|
26. Is there a ban on donors to political parties/candidates participating in public tender/procurement processes? |
|
27. Are there provisions requiring donations to go through the banking system? |
| Question | Value |
|---|---|
28. Are there provisions for direct public funding to political parties? |
Code
Yes, regularly
|
29. What are the eligibility criteria for political parties to receive public funding? |
Code
Share of votes in previous election
Comment
The party must have received 2% of the first preference votes at the last D?il general election.
|
30. What is the allocation calculation for political parties to receive public funding? |
Code
Proportional to votes received
Comment
Proportional to the number of first preference votes received.
|
31. What are the provisions on 'ear marking' direct public funding to political parties (how it should be used)? |
Code
|
32. Are there provisions for free or subsidized access to media for political parties? |
Code
Yes
|
33. What criteria determine allocation for free or subsidized access to media for political parties? |
Code
Comment
Votes won in preceding election and number and geographical spread of candidates.
|
34. Are there provisions for free or subsidized access to media for candidates? |
Code
Yes
|
35. Are there provisions for any other form of indirect public funding? |
Code
Elected officials have access to certain facilities, though anything used for election purposes should be accounted as such.
Comment
Elected officials have access to certain facilities, though anything used for election purposes should be accounted as such.
|
36. Is the provision of direct public funding to political parties tied to gender equality among candidates? |
Code
Yes
Comment
Parties lose 50% of their funding if they have less than 30% of candidates of any gender (rule introduced in 2012). The law states that the 30% will increase to 40% at some time after 2020).
|
37. Are there provisions for other financial advantages to encourage gender equality in political parties? |
Code
Other
Comment
A requirement on spending on promotion of women participation is included in the general direct public funding, though this is not further specified.
|
| Question | Value |
|---|---|
38. Is there a ban on vote buying? |
Code
Yes
|
39. Are there limits on the amount a political party can spend? |
Code
No
|
40. If there are limits on the amount a political party can spend, what is the limit? |
Code
Not applicable
|
41. Are there limits on the amount a candidate can spend? |
Code
Yes
|
42. If there are limits on the amount a candidate can spend, what is the limit? |
Code
European election: EUR 230.000 [I$ 238,000] 3 seat constituency at a Dáil general or by-election: EUR 30,150 [I$ 31,000]; 4 seat constituency at a Dáil general or by-election: EUR 37,650 [I$ 39,000]; 5 seat constituency at a Dáil general or by-election: EUR 45,200 [I$ 47,000].
|
43. Are there limits on the amount that third parties can spend on election campaign activities? |
|
44. Are there limits on traditional media advertising spending in relation to election campaigns? |
|
45. Are there limits on online media advertising spending in relation to election campaigns? |
|
46. Do any other restrictions on online media advertisement (beyond limits) exist? |
| Question | Value |
|---|---|
47. Do political parties have to report regularly on their finances? |
|
48. Do political parties have to report on their election campaign finances? |
Code
Yes
|
49. Do candidates have to report on their election campaign finances? |
Code
Yes
|
50. Do third parties have to report on election campaign finances? |
|
51. Is information in reports from political parties and/or candidates to be made public? |
|
52. Must reports from political parties and/or candidates reveal the identity of donors? |
Code
Sometimes
Comment
The identity of donors must only be revealed if the donation is over EUR 5,078.95 [I$ 5,300] for political parties and EUR 634,87 [I$ 660] for elected representatives and unsuccessful election candidates.
|
53. Must reports from political parties and/or candidates include information on itemized income? |
|
54. Must reports from political parties and/or candidates include information on itemized spending? |
|
55. Which institution(s) receives financial reports from political parties and/or candidates? |
Code
Other
Comment
Standards in Public Office Commission.
|
56. Which institution(s) is responsible for examining financial reports and/or investigating violations? |
Code
Other
Comment
Standards in Public Office Commission, the Gardai (police).
|
57. What power is granted to the institution(s) responsible for examining reports and/or investigating violations? |
|
58. What sanctions are provided for political finance infractions? |
Code
Comment
Disqualification penalties
|
