Fianna Fáil received £152,000 in donations over £4,000 last year, figures released today by the Public Offices Commission reveal.
This figure includes £50,000 given by Esat founder Mr Denis O'Brien, who gave the same amount to Fine Gael and the Progressive Democrats. Mr O'Brien's donations were the largest recorded for 2000.
Fine Gael has disclosed £50,000 in donations above £4,000 last year, Labour £46,000, and the PDs £65,259. Sinn Féin disclosed £20,806.58 plus a single donation of $44,926.02 from a support group called Friends of Sinn Féin USA.
The Green Party received £21,372 and the Socialist Party received £12,000. Six out of the 15 registered political parties in the State did not record any donations above £4,000. The parties received a total of £368,613.58, plus the $44,926.02 donation, last year.
The Public Offices Commission also released details of money paid to the parties by the Exchequer. £472,723.44 was paid to Fianna Fáil, £335,848.22 to Fine Gael, £124,954.18 to Labour, £56,245.64 to the PDs, £33,162.15 to the Greens, and £30,669.58 to Sinn Féin.
