TDs in the two Government parties, Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats, received the highest proportion of political donations declared last year, according to figures from the Standards in Public Office Commission.
The disclosure of political donations received by TDs, senators and MEPs during 2001 showed that the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, made the highest declaration, of €13,000, for offices, which he said had been donated by Fianna Fáil
The Tanaiste and leader of the PDs, Ms Harney, declared that she received €2,057 for the cost of constituency leaflets from the PDs in Dublin Mid West.
The Fine Gael leader, Mr Michael Noonan, declared a donation of €1,000 from the secretary of Limerick East Fine Gael for the distribution of leaflets.
The Fine Gael deputy leader, Mr Jim Mitchell, noted on his statement that an opinion poll was undertaken in connection with the leadership last year. The poll was organised by Mr Greg Walsh of Chapelizod, Dublin, and Mr Nigel Heneghan of Cabinteely, Co Dublin, and "was funded by 20 donations of less than £500", the commission said.
However, this declaration was criticised by the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, who said it concealed the identity of the 20 "financial backers behind the opinion poll used to remove John Bruton as party leader".
It highlighted that the new Fine Gael hierarchy "defied the spirit and purpose of donation legislation for their own gain", said Mr O'Donoghue.
The figures show that political donations with a total value of €85,289 were disclosed for the 2001 calendar year by TDs, senators and MEPs.
They included money, property, goods and services. Only donations valued at more than €634.87 have to be diclosed. If a donor makes more than one donation to the same person during a year, these must be aggregated and disclosed if the total value is greater than €634.87.
A total of 241 donation statements and statutory declarations was received by the commission from 166 members of the Dáil, the 60 senators and the 15 MEPs.
The commission was not notified of anyone receiving anonymous donations in excess of €126.97, which would have to be declared. Twenty-five of the donation statements received contained at least one disclosure, while 216 had no disclosure to make.
Donations received by TDs, valued at €78,941, accounted for over 92 per cent of the total; those received by senators, valued at €5,396, accounted for 6.3 per cent; and those received by MEPs, valued at €952, accounted for the remaining 1.2 per cent.
Members of Fianna Fáil, with a total value of €38,686, received the highest proportion, more than 45 per cent, of the donations. This was followed by members of the PDs who received €11,306, just over 13 per cent of the total.
Members of the Labour Party received €9,307, which was almost 11 per cent, and members of Fine Gael received €4,639, which was 5.5 per cent. Independent TDs received €21,351, or 25 per cent.