ECIElection Campaign-Finance Index
How well is money in politics regulated and disclosed?
Dimensions
Contributions
16.7% · 1/3| Datapoint | Score | Rationale & evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| CONT.1Contribution limit framework codifiedIf contribution limits exist, are they set by statute (not administrative discretion)? If no limits, is that absence explicit in statute? | 0/10.0% | No matching sections in corpus. | no FTS match 2026-06-03 |
| CONT.2Independent expenditure rulesAre independent-expenditure rules (third-party spending separate from candidate committees) codified in statute? | 0.5/150.0% | This section provides a statutory definition of 'third party' by cross-reference to the Electoral Act 1997, which establishes that independent-expenditure rules are grounded in statute. However, this section itself contains only the definition; the actual rules governing third-party spending (caps, disclosure, coordination prohibitions, enforcement) are not enumerated here and would require examination of section 22(2)(aa) and related provisions of the 1997 Act. The procedural elements of independent-expenditure regulation are not exhaustively codified in this definitions section. | § view source 2026-06-03 |
| CONT.3Anonymous-contribution treatmentAre anonymous contributions (cash below the threshold, etc.) addressed in statute with a defined disposition (returned, forfeited, etc.)? | 0/10.0% | No matching sections in corpus. | no FTS match 2026-06-03 |
Disclosure
20.0% · 1/5| Datapoint | Score | Rationale & evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| DISC.1Disclosure threshold in statuteIs the disclosure threshold (amount above which contributions must be reported) defined in statute, not regulation? | 1/1100.0% | The section establishes a specific, statutorily-defined disclosure threshold of €100 for donations received by political parties from outside the State. The threshold is explicit in the statutory text rather than delegated to regulation or administrative discretion, and applies to both cash and in-kind donations. “indicating the value of each donation received by the political party from outside the State (if any), whether in cash or in kind, exceeding €100 in value” | § view source 2026-06-03 |
| DISC.2Enumerated filing scheduleIs the filing schedule (pre-election, post-election, quarterly, etc.) enumerated in statute with specific deadlines? | 0/10.0% | No matching sections in corpus. | no FTS match 2026-06-03 |
| DISC.3Disclosure of contributor identityDoes statute require contributor name, address, occupation, and employer be disclosed for contributions above the threshold? | 0/20.0% | No matching sections in corpus. | no FTS match 2026-06-03 |
| DISC.4Public access to filingsAre campaign-finance filings legally required to be publicly accessible online within a defined time of filing? | 0/10.0% | No matching sections in corpus. | no FTS match 2026-06-03 |
Enforcement
0.0% · 0/4| Datapoint | Score | Rationale & evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENF.1Penalty schedule codifiedAre penalties for campaign-finance violations defined in statute with specified amounts (civil) and/or criminal grades? | 0/20.0% | No section in the FTS-surfaced candidates satisfies this criterion. Best signal: This section addresses criminal penalties for disinformation and misinformation offences, not campaign-finance violations. Campaign-finance violations typically concern contribution limits, disclosure requirements, and donor identity—distinct from false statements about candidates or voting. While the section does codify criminal penalties (class A fine and/or 12 months' imprisonment on summary conviction; or fine and/or 5 years on indictment), it falls outside the scope of ENF.1, which measures penalty schedules for campaign-finance rule breaches. No campaign-finance penalty framework is present in this section. | § view source 2026-06-03 |
| ENF.2Enforcement body independenceIs the enforcement body (election commission, attorney general, campaign-finance regulator) appointed by multi-branch process and protected from in-cycle political control? | 0/10.0% | No matching sections in corpus. | no FTS match 2026-06-03 |
| ENF.3Private right of actionDoes statute provide a private right of action (citizen or party suit) for campaign-finance violations? | 0/10.0% | No matching sections in corpus. | no FTS match 2026-06-03 |
Foreign Source
50.0% · 2/4| Datapoint | Score | Rationale & evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| FOR.1Foreign-source prohibitionIs direct foreign contribution to a candidate or campaign committee prohibited by statute? | 0/10.0% | No matching sections in corpus. | no FTS match 2026-06-03 |
| FOR.2Indirect / pass-through foreign rulesAre indirect foreign-source channels (foreign nationals via domestic entities, foreign-controlled LLCs, etc.) addressed in statute? | 2/2100.0% | Section 125 comprehensively addresses indirect foreign-source channels by explicitly requiring foreign entities (companies, bodies corporate, unincorporated bodies) to maintain a physical office in the State and provide evidence thereof, thereby blocking pass-through arrangements and foreign-controlled domestic entities. The statute uses the 'directly or indirectly' framing and conditions both natural persons and corporate entities with explicit verification requirements, covering the corporate-ownership tracing dimension of the criterion. | § view source 2026-06-03 |
| FOR.3Foreign-source verificationAre campaign committees required by statute to verify contributors are not foreign-source (vs. relying on contributor self-attestation alone)? | — no data | No rationale recorded. | no FTS match |
Traceability
0.0% · 0/2| Datapoint | Score | Rationale & evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| TRACE.1Records-retention requirementAre campaign committees required by statute to retain records (contributor lists, expenditure documentation, bank statements) for a defined period? | — no data | No rationale recorded. | no FTS match |
| TRACE.2Audit accessAre campaign-committee records subject to mandatory audit (post-election random sample, threshold-triggered audit, or routine cycle) under statute? | — no data | No rationale recorded. | no FTS match |