EU chiefs call for inquiry into Ganley's Libertas loan
Friday September 26 2008
THE governing body of the European Parliament has called for the full weight of the electoral funding laws to be applied to Libertas.
It is demanding that all information on the anti-Lisbon treaty group is passed onto the State's electoral funding watchdog following the revelation that it received a €200,000 loan from its founder Declan Ganley.
In a statement yesterday, it noted that the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPOC) had real investigative powers and that any proven misuse of funds could lead to sanctions "of a criminal nature".
The group, which is responsible for the parliament's relations with other parliaments, is headed by European parliament president Hans-Gert Pottering and also includes the heads of the political groups in the parliament.
Following its meeting in Brussels yesterday, the group pledged to "closely monitor" the issue of Libertas' funding and to return to it in the light of any conclusion by the State's ethics watchdog.
But the group's statement drew an angry reaction from Libertas founder Declan Ganley, who said it was a throwback to an earlier period in history.
"In the past, those that dared to defend freedom and democracy were forced to pay an inordinate price. The allegations are utterly baseless," he said.
Under the Electoral Act, Mr Ganley is entitled to make a loan to Libertas but he will have to provide documentation to prove that it is a genuine commercial loan with the same repayment terms and rate of interest imposed by financial institutions.
Mr Ganley said that Libertas will comply with its obligations to provide funding details to SIPOC, as it had complied with campaign funding regulations.
Analysis: Page 33
- Michael Brennan Political Correspondent
