Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

10. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the total cost of the recent Seanad election, outlining in tabular form the costs incurred in respect of elections to the vocational panels and elections to the university panels; if total costs have not yet been compiled, the cost incurred to date and projected total cost once computed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8546/16]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

It is estimated that the cost of the 2016 Seanad election could be around €3m, building in a contingency for the possibility of extra candidates, increased postal costs and the cost of venue hire for the count.  There has been no expenditure returned to date. The final certified accounts after an election would not normally be available until around 6 months after the holding of the election poll. For comparison purposes, the 2011 Seanad election cost of €2.688m, is set out in the following table in the format requested by the Deputy.

Costs for the Seanad election include staff costs and other disbursements such as venue hire, transport, delivery of election communication by candidates, election ballot papers and votes issued and returned to Returning Officers.

The Returning Officers prepare their own accounts and certify election expenditure in the prescribed format under the charging order to the Department of Finance.  Payments from the Central Fund in respect of election expenditure, including the reconciliation of such accounts, is the responsibility of the Minister for Finance.

Seanad Eireann 2011