Fianna Fail has amended its statement of political donations to the Public Offices Commission after discovering that the party received a single contribution of £10,000 after the deadline for making declarations.
The party is understood to have discovered this week that the £10,000, given to the party under the so-called "pick me up" system, was received on May 30th, 1997, and should have been included in the disclosures provided to the commission.
The "pick me up" scheme of donations involved a third party paying for a debt incurred by the political organisation. This system, employed by Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour, is now the subject of inquiries by the Revenue Commissioners.
The omission of the £10,000 from the declaration came to light after a "double check" was conducted on Fianna Fail files being prepared for examination by the Revenue Commissioners. Details of such transactions have been furnished to the Revenue Commissioners.
Under the Electoral Act, parties have to declare donations of more than £4,000, while individual politicians must reveal contributions above £500.
The regulations dictate that anything received between May 15th, 1997, and December 31st, 1997, was declarable under the Electoral Act.
However, Fianna Fail sources last night said the party discovered only this week that a donation, hitherto believed to have been received on May 6th last year, was in fact received on May 30th, and should have been cited in the declaration to the commission.
The sources said this was the only amendment which had to be made as a result of the renewed round of checks on party files.
The legislation defines a donation as money, property, goods or services.