Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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561. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the reason political party units are not permitted from opening an account in a credit union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4414/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The relevant legislation dealing with political donations accounts is the Electoral Act 1997. Section 23B(1) of this Act provides that an accounting unit of a political party which receives, in any particular year, a monetary donation the value of which exceeds €100 shall open and maintain an account in an institution in the State and shall lodge that donation and any further monetary donations received by it to that account.

The term ‘institution’ is defined in section 22 of the Act as meaning:

(a) the holder of a licence under section 9 of the Central Bank Act, 1971,

(b) a building society incorporated or deemed to be incorporated under the Building Societies Act, 1989, or a body incorporated in a corresponding manner under the law of any other Member State of the European Communities,

(c) a trustee savings bank within the meaning of the Trustees Savings Bank Act, 1989,

(d) ACC Bank plc,

(e) An Post, or

(f) a person authorised in accordance with the European Communities (Licensing and Supervision of Credit Institutions) Regulations, 1992 (S.I. No. 395 of 1992), to carry on business in the State.

This definition of ‘institution’ does not include a credit union. The institutions referenced in the Act provide for a general public access in opening an account, which is not available in a credit union by virtue of the rules under which it must operate.