THE STATE’S ethics body has expressed concern about the length of time it took Independent TD Tom Fleming to answer queries about a €2,000 political donation. At one point, the Standards in Public Office Commission threatened to report its concerns about Mr Fleming’s handling of the 2007 donation to the Ceann Comhairle and said it would consider whether the matter should be referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
After lengthy correspondence, it declared itself satisfied that Mr Fleming did not knowingly furnish a false donation statement and said it would be taking no further action on the matter.
The commission first wrote to the Kerry South TD in May 2008 asking him to explain why he had not disclosed the donation from Fianna Fáil vice-president Patrick O’Meara. Mr Fleming, then a Fianna Fáil councillor, replied that he understood he was not required to disclose the payment as it would be disclosed by the party.
After a further exchange, the commission said Mr Fleming had not satisfactorily explained his failure to disclose the payment. It twice asked him to attend a meeting and warned it would be required to consider whether he had made a false or misleading donation statement and, if so, whether to refer the matter to the DPP.
Mr Fleming declined a request to meet the commission and engaged a firm of solicitors to deal with it. After further delay, the commission warned it would “draw its own conclusions” on the matter and that these would be included in a report to the DPP.
In February 2009, Mr Fleming’s solicitors replied, saying his understanding was that the cheque from Mr O’Meara was part of a Fianna Fáil party donation to help his election campaign.
