(Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland)

TDs, SENATORS AND MEPs disclosed donations worth a total of €17,000 to the standards watchdog last year, according to new figures released today.

The Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) said a total of 239 elected officials – all 166 TDs, 60 Senators and 12 MEPS, as well as one former Senator – were asked to provide official statements outlining how much they had received in donations.

Of these, just five elected representatives declared donations.

The figures show that Senator Rónán Mullen declared the vast majority of declared donations, receiving €12,000 in total last year, which makes up 70 per cent of all the donations declared.

Socialist Party MEP Paul Murphy declared €3,000 worth of donations, followed by Paschal Donohoe TD of Fine Gael and Niall Collins TD of Fianna Fáil, who each received €1,000 in donations.

No other donations were declared to SIPO.

However of the the 239 people asked to submit statements, 14 people did not return the information by the deadline. SIPO did not name the 14 individuals but said it will “in due course” refer them to the Gardaí or the Director of Public Prosecutions for possible prosecution.

Only donations worth more than €600 had to be disclosed, and donations included both money and the use of property or services.

TDs, Senators and MEPs are forbidden from accepting foreign donations or anonymous donations worth more than €100, as well as from accepting donations exceeding €1,000 from any one person in the same year.

SIPO said no donation disclosed exceeded the maximum prescribed limit.