OVERALL EXPENDITURE in last year’s general election to Dáil Éireann was almost €1.8 million less than in the previous poll of 2007, according to the Standards in Public Office Commission. There were 100 fewer candidates in the 2011 election.
Expenditure by parties and candidates in the 2011 general election was just below €9.28 million, compared with €11.08 million for the 2007 poll, the Sipo annual report for 2011 states.
Figures also contained in the report for 2011, which was published yesterday, show €2.76 million was spent by headquarters of the political parties on their national campaigns.
In addition, a total of €6.52 million was disclosed by candidates’ election agents and the national agents of political parties as having been spent directly on the candidates.
A total of €2.5 million was reimbursed to successful candidates as well as others who at any stage of the count received more than a quarter of the quota required to be elected. The limit per candidate is €8,700, or the actual amount spent, whichever is the lesser.
Similar rules apply in presidential elections but the limit is €200,000, and this amount was reimbursed to the campaigns of President Michael D Higgins, Seán Gallagher and Martin McGuinness.
Total expenditure reported by the candidates’ election agents in the presidential election was almost €2.32 million, and the total amount of donations disclosed was €304,570.75.
The highest expenditure was incurred by Fine Gael’s Gay Mitchell, whose campaign spent €527,152.01.
Neither he nor Independent Mary Davis, the second-highest spender at €414,041.32, received any reimbursement.
President Higgins was the third-highest spender at €359,935.48 but, allowing for his reimbursement of €200,000 and cash donations of €121,421.53, his total disclosed outlay was €38,513.95.
Total disclosed outlay for other candidates was as follows: Mr Gallagher, €94,559.45; Mr McGuinness, €98,215.47; Senator David Norris, €314,044.91; Dana Rosemary Scallan, €47,574.23; Mr Mitchell, €527,152.01; and Ms Davis, €293,946.32.
The seven presidential candidates between them incurred a disclosed net expenditure of €1,414,006.34.
Meanwhile, the number of complaints received by Sipo under the Ethics Acts in 2011 was 38, compared with 56 the previous year.
The commission found that Labour Councillor Oisín Quinn of Dublin City Council had on four occasions contravened provisions of the Local Government Act 2001, but these contraventions were inadvertent and minor in nature and he had acted in good faith.
Both Cllr Quinn and Dublin City Council are seeking a judicial review of the Sipo findings which is due for mention in the High Court on October 9th.
The report expresses disappointment at “significant difficulties” in gaining access to records of the Department of the Environment when Sipo was investigating a complaint by then-Opposition TD Phil Hogan against the the environment minister, John Gormley. The complaint, relating to the proposed Poolbeg incinerator, was ultimately rejected.
