Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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610. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his views on the regulation of referendum spending in view of the advent of online advertising in which money can be spent from abroad to target particular groups of voters here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41524/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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The Electoral Act 1997 provides for the regulation of election spending and for the regulation of donations given for political purposes to election candidates, political parties and third parties as defined in the Act. Spending at referendums is not regulated by the Act.

The Standards in Public Office Commission has recommended that provision be made to require both third parties and political parties to disclose details of their sources of funding for, and expenditure incurred in, referendum campaigns. It is not likely, however, that amendment of the Electoral Acts to provide for this could provide for the Commission to have jurisdiction outside the State, for example on spending abroad on online advertising as described by the Deputy.

My Department is aware of international trends in the growth of online advertising over other more traditional forms of advertising and of the growing trend in the use of digital media in political campaigning.  Developments internationally, including on regulating in this technically and legally complex area, will inform our considerations for any future amendment of the Electoral Acts including on spending at referendums.