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Submission to Standards in Public Office Commission on the Draft Political Party Account Guidelines 2013

Transparency International (TI) Ireland prepared this submission on the Draft Political Party Account Guidelines prepared by the Standards in Public Office Commission’s (SIPO). TI Ireland maintained that comprehensive detailed disclosure is the starting point of an effective regulatory framework aimed at enhancing transparency in the funding of political parties.

List of Recommendations

  • Appoint Specialised Staff in SIPO to oversee and review financial statements
  • Party auditors should be appointed independently of the political party
  • Further Guidance should be published on ‘In-Kind’ Donations
  • Branch Income and Expenditures should be disclosed
  • Accounts should be made available on both SIPO’s website and the parties’ own websites
  • Guidelines should require parties’ annual accounts to clearly show that State funding has not been used in any elections or referendum campaigns
  • Party staff costs should include an indication of the salaries being paid in bands
  • Accounts should include the name of the bank(s) and branches