Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, for the opportunity to address Dáil Éireann and clarify matters pertaining to the 2016 election campaign. In that campaign, the Fine Gael organisation in Dublin Central was offered assistance with my re-election campaign, erecting and removing posters. This assistance was understood by me to be on a voluntary basis. It was provided across four dates during the campaign period before and after polling day. Six individuals were involved, working in three pairs. Neither I nor anyone involved in my campaign team paid the people concerned, nor was I, at that time, aware they had been paid. For that reason, no cost was attributed to this support on the election expense form submitted to the Standards in Public Office Commission, SIPO, following the election.

In December, in light of a complaint made to SIPO concerning this support and the letter confirming the receipt of a complaint which I received last Friday, I undertook a full review of the campaign in recent weeks. During the course of the review, I was made aware that the individual concerned had been paid for their help in the 2016 campaign. I was not aware before this time of any payment having been made. It was a personal payment made by Mr. Michael Stone in support of the local Fine Gael organisation which funded the campaign. The total payment to the people involved was €1,100, of which approximately €917 pertained to the campaign period. The remainder relates to work done after election day.

With regard to the vehicles used, two of them were personal vehicles and a company van was also used. I was not aware during the election campaign of the use of such a van. However, I was aware of an allegation in 2017 that a company vehicle had been used during the campaign. In retrospect, at that point I should have amended my election expenses form to the value of €140 to take account of the commercial value of a vehicle for the hours used. This was a clear mistake on my part and I acknowledge and apologise for that error. As the equivalent commercial value of the van was below the relevant donation limits, it did not need to be included on the donation register.

Having been made aware at the end of last year of the payment to the individuals, it is clear to me that the value of the labour should also have been declared in my election expenses form. Therefore, on Sunday, my election expenses statement was amended to reflect the additional spend for the 2016 campaign of €1,057, reflecting the equivalent commercial value of a vehicle and payment for labour. This amended statement was submitted to SIPO at the weekend, both by email and in hard copy.

The payment to the individuals who provided the labour and the corresponding value of the use of the company van were a donation to Fine Gael Dublin Central within the legal donation limits. Neither I nor any of my campaign team intentionally misinformed SIPO or knew that a form was incorrectly submitted to it at that time. In light of the information that has now been made available to me, I have taken the steps to address the issue as fully as I can.

I also wish to provide as much additional information as I can to the House. Mr. Stone has made no donations to me personally. However, in 2020 and 2021, he made a donation to Fine Gael by the purchase of Superdraw tickets which were sold by me. The donation was to the Fine Gael Party centrally and was within the legal limits. It is not required to be disclosed. However, as stated, I wish to be fully transparent with the House. In 2020, it was five tickets with a donation value of €334 and in 2021, it was 22 tickets with a donation value of €1,382.

Mr. Stone is a man of the very highest standards. He has spent much of his life giving back to the community from which he came and which I am obviously so proud to represent. Mr. Stone has done so much for the north-east inner city and I am very sorry he has become involved in this matter of public interest. I accept responsibility for making all supporters, the vast majority of whom are volunteers, aware of their obligations at election time.

As Minister with responsibility for public expenditure, national plan development, NDP, delivery and reform, SIPO falls under my remit. To ensure there is full transparency and independence in this matter, any responsibility for ethics legislation and SIPO will be transferred to the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael McGrath. I am conscious there is a complaint to that commission which will decide what steps, if any, need to be taken. I will engage and co-operate fully with any process that SIPO undertakes in this matter. To avoid any undue influence in that process following today's questions, I will not be commenting further.

I have worked tirelessly in any public office that I have held. I have always been committed to the public interest and the common good. Honesty and integrity matter above all in public life and I am very sorry this has happened. I sincerely regret this situation and the role I played in it. I thank the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Minister, Deputy Ryan, and my Government colleagues for their support.

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