Press release
Annual Disclosure of Donations received in 2021 by TDs, Senators and MEPs
From Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO)
Published on
Last updated on
From Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO)
Published on
Last updated on
22 August 2022: The Standards in Public Office Commission (the Commission) has today published a report on donations made to TDs, Senators and MEPs in 2021. The report also contains information on other donations required to be disclosed.
For the 2021 reporting period, a total of 233 public representatives — 160 TDs, 59 Senators, 13 Members of the European Parliament and one former TD – were required to make donation statements by 31 January 2022.
Under the Electoral Act 1997, as amended, public representatives may not accept donations in any year of more than €200 in cash, and not more than €1,000 in total value from a single source. They must disclose any donations valued at (or totalling) €600 or more from an individual source. Donations below this reporting threshold need not be disclosed to the Commission. The report therefore reflects only those donations over the reporting threshold and does not account for all donations received by members.
Donations above the reporting threshold with a total value of €3,800 were disclosed by members in respect of 2021. When refunds are taken into account, the net total for donations received was €3,000. This is a decrease from the 2020 equivalent figure, which was €64,875. The general election held in February 2020 is the likely reason for the relatively high value of donations disclosed in relation to 2020.
The Standards in Public Office Commission is an independent, non-partisan body charged with oversight of the Ethics in Public Office Acts (1995 and 2001), the Electoral Act 1997, the Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices Act 1938, and the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015.
The Commission was established by the Standards in Public Office Act 2001.