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Bill will transform political funding system and incentivise parties to run 30% women candidates in general elections

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Mr. Phil Hogan, T.D., has today (Wednesday 8^th June) published draft legislation that will lead to a significant transformation in the regulation of political funding in Ireland.  In line with the Government’s commitment to reform the way legislation is debated and implemented, the General Scheme of the Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011 has now being published. The Bill will restrict corporate donations significantly and cut political party funding by half unless 30% of general election candidates representing those parties are women.

Minister Hogan said: ‘The Government looks forward to a public debate on the General Scheme’s contents, and I welcome the views of citizens, elected representatives and any other individuals or groups that would like to make an input.   This legislation will address issues of serious public concern in the operation of political funding arrangements in Ireland and it will incentivise parties to run 30% women candidates in general elections.’

The Bill will implement specific commitments contained in the Programme for Government in relation to political donations, having regard to recommendations made in the Final Report of the Tribunal of Enquiry Into Payments to Politicians and Related Matters (the Moriarty Tribunal Report), published in March 2011.  The Minister said that the Bill can be seen as one part of a wider programme to reform our system of politics and Government.

The General Scheme makes provision for the restriction of corporate donations, a reduction in the amounts that can be received as political donations and a reduction in the thresholds for declaring political donations.  Political parties will also now be required to submit their annual accounts to the Standards in Public Office Commission for publication. The bill aims to increase transparency among all donations to ensure there is no question of unhealthy relationships. All political donations will now be done in an open and transparent manner.

Minister Hogan said: ‘As an incentive to encourage the selection of a greater number of women candidates, the new legislation includes a provision that political parties will face a cut of half their State political funding if they do not have at least 30% women and 30% men candidates at the next General election.  This will then rise to 40% after 7 years.  This initiative is a groundbreaking political opportunity to incentivise a shift towards gender balance in Irish politics. I have received legal advice in respect of these intended provisions and don’t envisage any constitutional difficulties arising.' 

Minister Hogan said that he welcomed the recent public debate surrounding this particular measure and reiterated his committed to its introduction.

The general scheme of the bill is available on the homepage of the Department’s website www.environ.ie