Paul Murphy spent most in Dublin South-West byelection

Exchequer will pay €104,400 to twelve candidates who qualified for reimbursement

TD Paul Murphy at a Anti Austerity Alliance press conference  to launch him as a byelection candidate in Dublin South West in September. File Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times
TD Paul Murphy at a Anti Austerity Alliance press conference to launch him as a byelection candidate in Dublin South West in September. File Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times

Socialist Party TD Paul Murphy spent more money than any other candidate in the Dublin South-West byelection.

The Standards in Public Office Commission has released a report showing Mr Murphy, the successful candidate ran under the Anti-Austerity Alliance banner, spent €35,064.

The limit per candidate in Dublin South-West was €37,650 for the election which took place last October 10th.

The Commission found no evidence of overspending.

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Total expenditure disclosed in both the Dublin South West and Roscommon-South Leitrim byelections amounted to €287,577, with €3,000-worth of total donations disclosed.

In the Roscommon-South Leitrim byelection, which took place on the same day, the spending limit per candidate was €30,150.

Here the highest expenditure was incurred by an unsuccessful candidate, Maura Hopkins of Fine Gael. Ms Hopkins spent €29,791 on the campaign.

The successful candidate Michael Fitzmaurice, now an Independent TD, spent €22,554.

The largest value of donations disclosed was by Independent Ronan McMahon with two donations of €1,000 each.

A total of €104,400 will be paid by the Exchequer to twelve candidates who qualified for a reimbursement of election expenses. The twelve candidates qualify for the maximum reimbursement of €8,700 each.

A copy of the Commission's report can be found on www.sipo.gov.ie.

Mary Minihan

Mary Minihan

Mary Minihan is Features Editor of The Irish Times