Written answers

Tuesday, 11 June 2013

Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

Local Elections Expenditure

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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623. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the spending limits per candidate that applied at the last local authority elections; the details of the items that were counted as spend; the spending limits that will apply to the 2014 local authority elections; the details of any changes he is proposing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27656/13]

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The spending limits per candidate that applied at the local elections held in 2009 are set out in Section 12A of the Local Elections (Disclosure of Donations and Expenditure) Act 1999. For the 34 county and city councils a sliding scale with four separate spending limits, based on the population within each individual electoral area, applied. A spending limit of €7,500 applied in respect of candidates seeking election to each of the 80 borough and town councils. Details of these spending limits are set out in the following table:

Electoral Area Candidate

Spending Limit
county or city council electoral area with a population in excess of 32,500 €15,000
county or city council electoral area with a population of between 22,501 and 32,500 €13,000
county or city council electoral area with a population of between 12,001 and 22,500 €11,500
county or city council electoral area with a population of 12,000 or less €9,750
borough or town council €7,500

Where a candidate contested elections simultaneously for both a county council and a borough or town council, the candidate could spend up to the spending limit for the county council electoral area, plus one quarter of the limit for the borough or town council. This provision is contained in section 12A(1)(b) of the 1999 Act. Section 6 of the 1999 Act defines election expenses as all expenditure for electoral purposes incurred in connection with an election during the specified election period. A list of these expenses is set out in the Schedule to the Act under the following headings: (a) Advertising, (b) Publicity, (c) Election posters, (d) Other election material, (e) Office and Stationery, (f) Transport and travel, (g) Market research, and, (h) Campaign workers. Any necessary amendments to these provisions, particularly in connection with the position of borough and town councils, will be made in good time before the local elections to be held in 2014.

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