Sinn Fein party donations dwarf those for any other NI political party last year, according to Electoral Commission figures

The £232k donations accepted by Sinn Fein in the final quarter of last year substantially dwarfed those accepted by any other NI party, according to Electoral Commission figures.
By Philip Bradfield
Published 2nd Mar 2023, 21:40 BST
Updated 2nd Mar 2023, 21:58 BST
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The commission said the total level of donations declared by NI parties in 2022 was almost £2m.

However, it said that more transparency was needed to build public confidence and that it has recommended reforms to the UK government.

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The public and private donations accepted by the NI parties in the fourth quarter of 2022 are as follows. The figures in brackets are private donations alone:

Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald and Vice President Michelle O'Neill. Donations to the party dwarfed those to other NI parties last year. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald and Vice President Michelle O'Neill. Donations to the party dwarfed those to other NI parties last year. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)
Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald and Vice President Michelle O'Neill. Donations to the party dwarfed those to other NI parties last year. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

l TUV: £6,783 (£0);

l Conservative and Unionist Party: £10,881 (£10,881);

l People Before Profit: £13,164 (£2,100);

l UUP: £22,854 (£0);

l DUP: £86,066 (£0);

l Alliance: £56,966 (£25,000);

l SDLP £148,816 (£0);

l Sinn Fein: £232,814(£150,000).

Parties and campaigners reported accepting a total of £1,946,269 in 2022, compared to £2,402,505 in 2021.

Cahir Hughes, head of the Electoral Commission in Northern Ireland, said: “We know that voters are interested in the source and recipients of political donations, but that public confidence in the transparency of party and campaigner finance is declining.”

He added: “The commission has recommended reforms to UK government which would help strengthen the political finance system further.”

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There were no new loans reported although the DUP reported an extension to an existing credit facility. One party failed to meet the reporting deadline for the last quarter for loans and the commission said it will consider this in line with its enforcement policy.

DUP North Belfast MLA Phillip Brett said that Sinn Fein is “not a normal political party, not least because they are the richest party on either side of the border”.

He added: “They also differ because there are serious questions both about how they raise this money and how it is spent. Revelations in a Dublin courtroom have raised serious questions.

“It is time that Sinn Fein’s finances were the subject of serious scrutiny on both sides of the border.”

Ulster University politics lecturer Dr Cillian McGrattan also said the “shocking disparity” in the figures reveal that we have “a democracy in name only”.​

Related topics:Sinn FeinElectoral CommissionSDLP