Boyd Barrett and Hayes referred to gardaí over funding

Two TDs were referred to gardaí recently after missing a deadline to disclose donations.

People Before Profit Alliance TD Richard Boyd Barrett and Fine Gael TD Tom Hayes both failed to make returns to the Standards in Public Office (Sipo) commission by February 19th, 2015.

However, they both submitted the required documentation on February 23rd and the commission informed gardaí of the development.

According to Sipo’s latest report, TDs, Senators and MEPs disclosed donations with a total value of €25,500 for 2014.

Of this total, €10,500 was disclosed by Independent Senator Rónán Mullen and €10,000 by Socialist Party TD Paul Murphy.

Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly disclosed €3,000 in donations, while the figure for Minister for Communications Alex White was €1,000. Independent MEP Marian Harkin also disclosed €1,000.

Only donations valued at more than €600 must be disclosed. The donations include money and the use of property or services.

A total of 239 politicians were required to furnish donation statements in respect of 2014 by the end of January, but 10 members of that group failed to adhere to this initial deadline.

Siptu donations

According to the report, Siptu made 32 donations of €595 each to various Labour Party local election candidates, a donation of €1,000 to former MEP Emer Costello, and donations totalling €2,950 to two accounting units and the head office of the Labour Party.

The aggregate total of the Siptu donations to the Labour Party itself was in excess of the permissible amount of €2,500.

The Labour Party returned the excess donation of €450 to the union and provided the commission with a receipt from the donor confirming the excess had been returned.

Mr Murphy received a donation which exceeded the permissible limit by €110. He returned the €110 to the donor and provided a receipt to the commission.

The report also said Unite the Union “mistakenly” made a donation to People Before Profit Alliance which exceeded the permissible limit for the maximum donation by €2,500.

People Before Profit Alliance returned the excess donation to Unite the Union, which the union confirmed.

The commission's report said it was aware Labour Senator Jimmy Harte, who suffered significant head injuries in a fall in Dublin in 2013, was not in a position to complete his annual returns.