Libertas has held up enquries into its funding of Lisbon long enough for it not to come out until after Euro elections

Libertas have successfully frustrated Ireland's political funding watchdog long enough to avoid the info regarding the funding of their Lisbon campaign in order to keep it out of the public domain until after the upcoming European elections. Transparency? Accountability ?
I don' think so.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Libertas provides loan information

MARY MINIHAN

LIBERTAS HAS provided outstanding information on loans and other issues relating to its Lisbon Treaty referendum campaign to the Standards in Public Office Commission (Sipo).

In a report published last month, the commission said Libertas had “failed to provide the required information” despite a number of reminders.

However, at yesterday’s meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on European Affairs, commission secretary David Waddell confirmed that Libertas had now answered its inquiries.

“It was a source of considerable frustration to the Standards Commission that what it saw as reasonable inquiries did not receive a timely response,” he said.

Mr Waddell said the commission was considering the responses and would give its assessment of them in its annual report. Sipo wrote to Libertas on June 19th last requesting details of any loans provided to it from a financial institution or other person for the purposes of funding its referendum campaign.

Libertas founder Declan Ganley replied on August 13th, confirming that Libertas had received a personal loan from him. The commission wrote to Mr Ganley again on August 22nd requesting a copy of the legal agreement and repayment plan for the loan made to Libertas. The information was provided at the end of March.