SEANAD:JILLIAN VAN Turnhout (Ind) had done a great service by pointing out France and Portugal had banned corporate donations for political purposes, Rónán Mullen (Ind) said.
This disclosure seemed at odds with the claim by Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government Phil Hogan that European requirements, along with our own Constitution, did not allow for the introduction of such a ban here, he said.
Five nominees of the Taoiseach voted for a Sinn Féin motion calling for a ban on corporate donations with strictly limited exceptions.
Six nominees had earlier proposed a complete ban, but withdrew their proposed amendment to the Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill, 2011, after David Cullinane (SF) said his party’s amendment allowed for necessary exemptions such as those relating to student funding.
The Sinn Féin amendment was defeated by 29 votes to 14. It was backed by six Fianna Fáil members and by Independents Ms van Turnhout, Fiach MacConghail, Martin McAleese, Mr Mullen, Mary Ann O’Brien and Katherine Zappone.
Mr Hogan said he had been advised that an outright ban could be in conflict with constitutional provisions on freedom of expression and association. Even if it was possible to address this prohibition, he said, we would still have to get over the hurdles of the European Convention on Human Rights and the treaty on the functioning of the European Union.
Mr Mullen said he found it incredible that a restriction could be put on the amount of corporate donations, as was being done under the Bill, yet a total ban could not be permitted under the Constitution. He believed the constitutional article relied on by the Minister related only to personal rights.
