skip to main content

Libertas fails to reveal information - report

Declan Ganley - Information on loans requested
Declan Ganley - Information on loans requested

Libertas has failed to provide information requested by the State's ethics watchdog on its campaign against the Lisbon Treaty, according to a report published this afternoon.

The Standards in Public Office Commission said Libertas had not provided information, which it had requested, on a loan provided to it by its chairman Declan Ganley.

Read the full report

Information about a supply of books on the Treaty by an organisation called the Foundation for European Democracy was also unsuccessfully requested by the Commission.

In addition, Libertas failed to respond to a request for more details about employees of Mr Ganley's company, Rivada.

The anti-Lisbon group had said the staff had worked for the organisation in their spare time and on a voluntary basis.

It has also not answered questions about whether any loans were provided by anyone other than Mr Ganley, and has not named a new ‘responsible person’ to deal with the Commission.

The Commission said the Lisbon campaign had highlighted weaknesses in the rules covering third parties.

It suggested a number of improvements, including a requirement on third parties and political parties to disclose details of their spending on referendum campaigns and details of where they received their funding.

It also suggests that failure to cooperate with enquiries from the Commission should be made an offence.