INTO spent €1,000 to send Fidelma to Brussels
Bradley Bytes – A sort of political column by Dara Bradley
Fidelma Healy Eames, a former Galway County Councillor and Senator, received a political donation of €1,000 from INTO, the primary school teachers’ trade union.
The donation, which bolstered Fidelma’s European Parliament election war-chest, was one of a number of interesting nuggets of information contained in the Standards in Public Office (SIPO) publication released this week.
INTO said it was normal practice for it to make political donations, and it gave cheques valued at €1,000 to a number of other candidates for public office.
An educator, Fidelma was a primary school teacher, and remains a member of the union. The Oranmore-based pro-life candidate was unsuccessful in her bid to become an MEP in Midlands North West (MNW) in May 2019 when she garnered 2.7% of first preferences votes.
The INTO said it has a political fund, and accepts applications from members standing for public office. The amount and payment of grants is decided by its Central Executive Committee. It is registered with SIPO.
“Generally, the INTO process does not distinguish between parties or the affiliation of members who are candidates. The intention is to support the democratic process and to encourage more teachers to seek political office. The decision to provide funding is based entirely on a candidate’s membership of the union and no other consideration is taken into account,” the INTO told us.
Other unsuccessful EU election candidates of interest to Galway also disclosed donations.
Independent Alice Mary Higgins received three political donations from named individuals that totalled €2,800 for her failed EU campaign in Dublin. She also got €555, €840 and €745 respectively from individuals for design services, media services and catering.
The Greens’ Saoirse McHugh got €1,000 in an online donation from Achill artist, Margaret Morrison. Fianna Fáil’s two unsuccessful MNW candidates, Brendan Smith and Anne Rabbitte, Galway East TD and Junior Minister, both declared zero donations.
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.
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