Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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204. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the annual amount paid to each qualifying party under the Electoral Acts, excluding section 1 of the Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Act 2001 for the period 1 January 2011 to date; the frequency and number of such payments made to each qualifying party; the formula by which such annual payment amounts are calculated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28342/14]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Responsibility for the Electoral Acts is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.

Under section 17 of the Electoral Act 1997, as amended by section 50(c) of the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2001, provision is made for two payments to be made to qualified political parties.

Section 17(1)(a) of the Electoral Act 1997, as amended, provides for a fixed payment of €126,973.81 to be made to each qualified party in each period of 12 months.

Section 17(1)(b) of the Electoral Act 1997, as amended, provides for an annual sum to be shared among qualified political parties.  When introduced in 2001, the legislation provided for this sum to be shared to amount to €3,809,214 (£3,000,000).  In accordance with the legislation, the sum was increased in line with general increases in Civil Service remuneration.

The current sum shared amongst qualified parties amounts to €4,948,201.68, and €5,456,096.88 when the fixed amount referred to above is included.

Payments are calculated on the basis of the share of first preference votes obtained by an individual qualified party at the previous general election.  These shares are calculated by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government.  The respective shares following the General Election in 2011 is below:

First Preference Votes in the 2011 General Election

Payments in respect of the Electoral Acts are made quarterly in arrears.  The amounts paid from 1 Jan 2011 to 30 June 2014 are below:  

Payments under Electoral Acts from 1 January to 30 June 2014: