Info
Parties and Candidates
PC001
Registration requirements for parties (Chamber 1)
Question: What are the registration requirements for political parties running for national elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s):
f . Other
Comments:
(2) A political party may apply to the Registrar to be registered in the Register of Political Parties as a party—
(a) organised in the State to contest a Dáil election or a European election or a local election, or
(b) organised in a part of the State specified in the application to contest a Dáil election or a European election or a local election.
(3) The Registrar shall prepare and maintain a register (to be known as the Register of Political Parties) in which, subject to the subsequent provisions of this section, he shall register any political party—
(a) which applies to him for registration, and
(b) which is in his opinion—
(i) a genuine political party, and
(ii) organised in the State or a part thereof to contest a Dáil election or a European election or a local election.
Source: Electoral Acts, Art. 25: https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1992/act/23/enacted/en/print#sec15
Verified: 2024/11/21
PC003
Registration requirements for candidates (Chamber 1)
Question: What are the legal qualifications to become a candidate at legislative elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s):
a . Age b . Citizenship
Comments: Every citizen without distinction of sex who has reached the age of twenty-one years, and who is not placed under disability or incapacity by this Constitution or by law, shall be eligible for membership of Dáil Éireann.
Source: Constitution, Ch.4, Art. 16(1.1): https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/cons/en/html
Verified: 2024/11/21
PC008
Independent candidates
Question: Can independent candidates compete in presidential or legislative elections?
Answer(s):
e . In both presidential and legislative elections
Comments: Where a candidate is not the candidate of a political party registered in the Register of Political Parties as a party organised to contest a Dáil election he shall be entitled to enter after his name on the nomination paper the expression “Non-Party” and, if he does so, the returning officer shall cause a statement of that expression to be specified in relation to the candidate on all the ballot papers and on notices.
Source: Constitution, Art. 16, 18; https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/cons/en/html
Electoral Acts 1992-2011, Art. 46(5): https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1992/act/23/enacted/en/print#sec15
Verified: 2024/11/21
PC012
Public funding of parties
Question: Do political parties receive direct/indirect public funding?
Answer(s):
b . Direct
Comments: 17.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this Part, payments shall be made out of the Central Fund or the growing produce thereof to each qualified party which applies therefor.
(2) (a) The aggregate of the payments which may be made to qualified parties in any twelve monthly period under this Part shall not, subject to paragraph (b), exceed one million pounds.
(b) (i) Whenever, on or after the passing of this Act, there is a general increase of remuneration in the civil service with effect from a particular date, pursuant to agreements or arrangements having effect on a general basis in the civil service (whether or not they also apply in relation to persons employed other than in the civil service), the aggregate of the payments which may be made under this section shall be increased correspondingly with effect from that date.
(ii) In this paragraph “civil service” has the meaning assigned to it by the Civil Service Regulation Act, 1956 .
(3) The amount payable to qualified parties under subsection (2) shall be allocated to each qualified party in the same proportion as the total number of first preference votes obtained by every candidate of each such qualified party at the preceding general election bears to the total number of first preference votes obtained by candidates of all qualified parties at that election.
(4) As soon as may be after the declaration of the result of a general election is completed in each constituency, the Minister shall furnish to the Public Offices Commission and the Minister for Finance, in writing:
(a) particulars of the total percentage of first preference votes obtained at the election by candidates of each party referred to in section 16 calculated in accordance with paragraph (b) of the said section,
(b) the name of each candidate elected, and
(c) the name of each candidate who was not elected to whom the greatest number of votes credited at any stage of the counting of votes at the election exceeds one quarter of the quota,
as ascertained from the copy of the notice furnished to the Minister under section 127 (2) of the Act of 1992.
(5) Every payment made under this Part to a qualified party shall be exempt from income tax and shall not be reckoned in computing the income for the purposes of the Income Tax Acts of such party.
Source: Electoral Act 1997, Art. 17 - 21: https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1997/act/25/enacted/en/print#sec17
Verified: 2024/11/21
PC015
Question: What is the basis of the public funding?
Answer(s):
b . Based on result of previous election
Comments: The amount payable to qualified parties under subsection (2) shall be allocated to each qualified party in the same proportion as the total number of first preference votes obtained by every candidate of each such qualified party at the preceding general election bears to the total number of first preference votes obtained by candidates of all qualified parties at that election.
Source: Electoral Act 1997, Art. 17(3): https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1997/act/25/enacted/en/print#sec17
Verified: 2024/11/21
PC017
Question: Are political parties entitled to private funding?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments:
Source: Electoral Act 1997, Art. 22 - 26: https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1997/act/25/enacted/en/print#sec17
Verified: 2024/11/21
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