State Funding Of Political Partys

Cork

I really believe that the states resources should not be spent on political partys.

I also believe that trade unions should stop making contributions to political partys without a vote by it's members.

Political Party donations are capped. This acts as a safegaurd aganist big donations influencing policy.

I think that no political party should campaign for funds outside the state.

It is a metter for the Irish public to fund their political parties thru church gate collections or membership subscriptions.

valor

so ex-pats, people who may have lived here for their entire life but have decided to move away for whatever reason, have no right to contribute their hard earned money to a political party of their choosing? i think not.

star gazer

originally posted by Cork
I also believe that trade unions should stop making contributions to political partys without a vote by it's members.

just because Fianna Fail don't get what the labour party get from them.

The state should pay for political parties or else we just get the builders in tents at the galway races funding political parties. Whilew there is no charge of wrong doing, it looks unhealthy to have business that are affected by government decisions funding the parties in or potentially in that government.

Cork

It is not practical to enforce Irish Rules on giving to political partys outside the state.

Sure, spending on elections - they are rules.

Does such a ban exist in Northern Ireland?

I am not sure.

Cork

Originally posted by star gazer
just because Fianna Fail don't get what the labour party get from them.

The state should pay for political parties or else we just get the builders in tents at the galway races funding political parties. Whilew there is no charge of wrong doing, it looks unhealthy to have business that are affected by government decisions funding the parties in or potentially in that government.

But, it is worse for the public's tax money to be spent on flyers and posters.

The tax payer funding elections?

Tax money being spent putting posters up in lamp posts.

Business donates money to charity.

Are charities compromised?

I think outlawing fund raising by partys would damage politics.

Political Partys are funded from Church Gate Collections & raffles.

Donations from business were capped years ago.

Éomer of Rohan

A ban on what Cork?

All political parties should be funded by the state - and from no other source outside of a set membership fee.

This is the fairest possible way to decide; if state funding of political parties is equal, then it will be actual members of the party who will decide the overall funding - trade unions should not be allowed to fund political parties full stop; the only way they should fund a party is if the membership wish to join that party. Business should not be allowed to fund political parties. Private individuals should not be allowed to make huge donations - only the standard membership fee.

But again, that is not a socialist point of view, it is the liberal in me which would like to see a correction of the failed democracy we live in even when most of me knows it cannot be corrected.

star gazer

originally posted by Cork
Tax money being spent putting posters up in lamp posts.

Taxes are already being spent on ads for ministers about waste management. shopping around and so on why not fund political campaigns and keep the pitch level. Democracy is about earning votes not about buying votes with huge financial resources. The cap on donations should be 500 euros accross the board immediately companies and individuals.
If you are going to raise a lot of money it should be done asking a lot of people. eventually the amount of money you get should correlate to the amount of votes you get and the party fund should be based on the number of seats it has, not any other, less democratic criteris.

Charities only have the power given to them by the donation, political parties have already got powers to use without the donation especially in government, the comparison isn't reasonable.

Sparks

Originally posted by Cork
I really believe that the states resources should not be spent on political partys.

I never thought I'd agree with cork, but he's right. We need to stop this kind of thing.
So, no more 100,000 euro-plus payments to TDs who don't get re-elected, no more luxury private jets for the government, no more luxury limos and aircraft travel so they can open pubs in their own constituencies and no more of the state picking up the tab for redecorating their offices every year...

Political Party donations are capped. This acts as a safegaurd aganist big donations influencing policy.

So why is Fianna Fail trying to remove the cap or raise it substantially?

Sure, spending on elections - they are rules.

Which were broken by Fianna Fail in the last election in two ways:
1) Their actual election budgets were broken by TDs who used state resources to send out pamphlets and so on;
2) FF knew the election date ahead of time and so put up a large media campaign ahead of the date when the election spending rules came into effect - in effect, spending more on campaigning than any other party.

SkepticOne

If and when state funding emerges, I don't think it should be based on the idea of political parties. Even though parties dominate elections, in theory at least, you should not need to be a member of one to stand for election or be elected. Parties naturally form to pool resources (financial or otherwise) to get people elected and I've no problem with that as such, but the electoral system and the parliamentary system should not reflect this.

Although it is difficult, you should not need to join a party to run for election. I would worry about any system that formalises parties and raises them up beyond what they are.

I'm not sure how it should work, but funding should be neutral as to whether you are a member of a party or an independent.

star gazer

originally posted by sparks
So, no more 100,000 euro-plus payments to TDs who don't get re-elected, no more luxury private jets for the government, no more luxury limos and aircraft travel so they can open pubs in their own constituencies and no more of the state picking up the tab for redecorating their offices every year...

but that's different...our ministers need to be able to open off-licences and pubs in every corner of the country and that has nothing to do with elections, it is their duty to the state to be present at every letter opening in the country!

Paddyo

Has anyone seen FF's latest attempt to get around the limitation in donations from Businesses.

They now are going to publish a magazine. They have sent out emails to lots of businesses, where I work included, selling advertising in this magazine.

If only they were as clever at running the country!!

Paddyo

invincibleirish

maybe its coincidence but does it not seem that corks argument is one which would only adversely affect parties on the left?

I also believe that trade unions should stop making contributions to political partys without a vote by it's members.

this affects the labour party,btw they do vote every year to discuss how to spend their political fund,this year in siptu a serious challenge was made to labour being exclusive recipients of this.

I think that no political party should campaign for funds outside the state.

this affects sinn fein because,as everyone knows, a huge majority of their funding comes from the us.

But, it is worse for the public's tax money to be spent on flyers and posters

this affects the smaller left parties like the swp and socialist party.


as for the church funds,to generalise its only the traditional parties like fianna fail and fine gael who would do well from these as i cant imagine messers sean crowe/joe higgins/richard boyd barrett being especially popular with the traditional church going crowd.

monument

Political Parties and money don't mix.

Advertising should be totally equal, state funded, and state purchased. For example coming up to a local election the state would buy a page in the local newspaper which would outline all the candidates, who they are/what they’re about, and what they stand for.

Victor

I think there should only be state funding, save nominal membership fees (to stop cumann votes being stuffed). One way or another the state ends up paying, so that payment may as well be as transparent as possible.

Of course a lot more of the money should go on things like policy research and development, for which parties tend to rely on the benevolence of individuals and the misuse of state departments.