Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

Amendments Nos. 6, 17 and 25 deal with banning cash donations over €200 and they pertain to sections 6, 14 and 21. Donations made up of large amounts of cash not only look wrong but are wrong. Currently, there is no prohibition on the acceptance of cash donations. The Mahon tribunal recommended that this be addressed. The limit of €200 is reasonable and ties in with the issue associated with the ceiling for donations from the corporate sector. The effect of the amendments will be that all donations in excess of €200 will be made by cheque or other traceable means.

Amendment No. 6 will give effect to the ban on cash donations over €200. It will apply to a member of either House of the Oireachtas, a representative of the European Parliament, a candidate at Dáil, Seanad or European Parliament elections, a political party, a third party and an accounting unit of a political party.

Amendment No. 17 will apply the same provision at a presidential election. Amendment No. 25 will introduce the new ban on cash donations over €200 at local elections and to local authority members. The combined effect of the three amendments, when coupled with the existing provisions in the relevant sections of the Bill, will be to reduce the donations threshold for a political party to €2,500, and to €1,000 for individual candidates or elected representatives.

A ban on cash donations over €200 will now also apply to political parties, third parties and individuals. Corporate donations over €200 will be banned unless the donor meets exacting registration and transparency criteria.