Sinn Féin failed to declare cost of opinion poll days before 2020 General Election

Sinn Féin failed to declare the cost of an opinion poll it had commissioned in the days before the 2020 General Election.

Under legislation on spending during elections parties must declare spending on all polls conducted around the time of the election to the Standards in Public Office Commission (Sipo).

Sinn Féin TD Eoin Ó Broin publicised the result of a Survation online poll that showed the party ahead of its rivals in a social media post three days before ballots were cast.

However, the cost did not appear on Sinn Féin’s return to Sipo.

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A Sinn Féin statement said: “When submitting returns to Sipo, one invoice was accidentally omitted; due to staff working remotely as a result of public health restrictions.

The party said the value of the invoice was €6,936.42 and “the amended expenditure return was accepted by Sipo”.

Fine Gael Minister of State Peter Burke accused Sinn Féin of being “absolute hypocrites” in how it responds to such issues.

His remarks come after criticism by Sinn Féin of Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe for his failure to properly record election expenses paid by a friend.

[ Analysis: Donohoe’s election expenses mistakes could have implications for status and career ]

[ Paschal Donohoe insists poster donation did not breach spending limits ]

Mr Donohoe has apologised for submitting inaccurate returns which he believed were “accurate and true” at the time he put them in.

Mr Burke said: “Sinn Féin originally made an inaccurate return and failed to include a poll ... It cost €7,000. How can you forget a sum like that?”

He questioned whether or not Sipo has taken any action against Sinn Féin “for not returning proper expenditure returns from the 2020 General Election”.

Mr Burke also said: “How can you forget an opinion poll that a party consciously decides to publish. This may have only come to light as Sinn Féin themselves tweeted about the poll, what other expenses may they have incurred quietly that remain undeclared?”

Sinn Féin responded to Mr Burke’s remarks saying: “Fine Gael are desperately trying to distract from the failure of Minister Paschal Donohoe to answer questions about a political donation to him.”

A Sipo statement said that Sinn Féin brought an error in the party’s February 2020 election expenses statement to its attention in December 2021.

It requested an amended statement which was published in January last year.

Sipo said that under the Electoral Act election, expenses statements and statutory declaration forms are required from the national agents of political parties within 56 days of polling day.

The Irish Times asked if there are any consequences for late declarations of such spending.

Sipo said: “Section 4 of the Electoral Act provides for the correction of errors or omissions in statements of election expenses.”