Status of hunting group to be clarified

THE STANDARDS in Public Office Commission will today write to pro-hunting group Rural Ireland Says Enough (Rise!) to establish if it should register with the commission on the grounds of receiving donations for political purposes.

Rise!, which featured prominently at a protest outside the Green Party’s recent convention in Waterford, today intends to demonstrate in Roscrea, Co Tipperary, where Taoiseach Brian Cowen is scheduled to attend local events.

A spokeswoman for the commission confirmed she would contact Rise! today after the organisation was brought to her attention by a member of the public. “I will be writing to them on Monday to ask them if they come within the definition of a third party and, if so, to register with us,” she said.

Under the Electoral Act 1997, a third party can be a group, other than a registered political party, which accepts a donation exceeding €126.97 in a calendar year. A donation means any contribution given for political purposes.

A spokesman for Rise! said the organisation would have no problem registering with the commission if that was what was required under law. “One of the standards of behaviour set for the campaign from the first day was that it would use totally legal means and comply with the law in every way,” he said.

“Our clear desire would be to be in compliance. On receipt of any communication from the Standards in Public Office Commission we will give careful consideration to it, we will consult with our legal advisers in the normal way, and make a speedy response.”

The organisation’s website gives details of a bank account in Wexford where donations can be made.

Rise! will demonstrate at the opening of a new leisure centre in Roscrea this morning. “The demo is intended as a ‘wake up’ call to the Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil that they are being sleepwalked into legislative attacks on hunting and other traditional rural sports by a tiny, unrepresentative Green Party,” an e-mail to the media said.

Green TD for Dublin North Trevor Sargent said: “Everything they are saying is political in one way or another. They want to be very political but unfortunately not very truthful in their attacks on the Green Party.” He described the revised programme for Government as a “policy platform which we have a mandate to implement”.