How much does it cost to run a general election campaign?

The election posters are up, the leaflets are flying through the doors and politicians across Ireland are making their pitch for power though paid advertising online.
With campaign spending limits increased just last month to reflect inflation, Election 2024 has the potential to be the highest-spending election of recent years.
However, despite the millions that will undoubtedly be spent collectively by parties and candidates, Irish elections are conducted on a shoestring by international standards.
The most extreme example of election extravagance is in the United States. Washington-based non-profit organisation Open Secrets has predicted that the 2024 US federal election cycle will see spending of at least $15.9 billion (€15.03 billion).
Meanwhile, political parties in Australia have collectively spent more than AUS$400 million (€246.5 million) during recent elections.
Obviously vast differences in size and populations between these countries and Ireland make comparisons somewhat meaningless. But one big point of contrast that keeps costs down here is that paid broadcast advertising of the kind seen in the US and Australia is not allowed here and in most European countries.
Iain McMenamin, a professor of comparative politics at Dublin City University said: “European countries have managed to keep elections cheap and we’re very much part of that.”
He said what people here “would be surprised at is how little is spent”.
Under Standards in Public Office Commission (Sipo) guidelines political parties and candidates must disclose details of all expenses incurred during the official “election period” which this time runs from November 8th to polling day, November 29th, inclusive.
Of course, parties and candidates spent money prior to November 8th, for instance on social media advertising. While this would be viewed by many as election spending, it does not have to be declared with Sipo.
Declared spending on Ireland’s last two general elections across the various political parties and candidates, including Independents, came to €7,336,723 in 2020 and €8,394,335 in 2016.
Last month, Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien signed an order increasing campaign spending limits and post-election reimbursement for candidates. It means that candidates in five-seat constituencies will be able to spend up to €58,350 – €13,150 more than under the old limits – while the limit will increase to €48,600 in four-seaters and €38,900 in three-seaters.
The maximum sum that can be reimbursed to a candidate goes from €8,700 to €11,200, provided they are elected or get more than a quarter of the quota.
The previous spending limits were in place since 2007 and the changes have been made due to the aggregate change in the consumer price index of just over 29 per cent since then.
It is unclear exactly how much political parties and Independents will spend this time. Even if party headquarters have a ballpark estimate of their national costs, they will not know exactly how much their individual candidates will spend from their own funds.
Overall spending will become clear only once the parties and candidates file their returns to Sipo.
Previous Sipo election reports show Fianna Fáil spent the most in 2020, some €2,212,050. This was followed by Fine Gael (€2,171,651) and non-party candidates were the next highest spenders collectively with €729,907.
Sinn Féin declared €697,449 in spending, followed by the Labour Party (€481,067), the Green Party (€316,808), the Social Democrats (€240,489), Solidarity-People Before Profit (€202,975) and Aontú (€170,667).
About €282,000 was spent per day during the official election period that year.
Spending in 2016 was higher – just under €350,000 per day during the formal campaign.
Fine Gael was the biggest spender eight years ago, declaring €2,768,881, with Fianna Fáil next on €1,687,916. Non-party politicians declared €1,201,601 in spending collectively.
The Labour Party spent €1,083,718 and Sinn Féin declared spending of €650,190.
So where do the parties get their funding?
The bulk of the funding for parties with Dáil representation comes from the exchequer, but this is for the day-to-day running of the parties between elections including staff costs, policy development and research. State funding cannot be used for electoral purposes.
Prof McMenamin said Ireland’s political system has ensured that parties get “pretty much the amount of money that you would expect for a rich European democracy and they don’t let themselves spend that on elections”.
He said State funding does still “give an advantage” to incumbent TDs and parties “because they will have pretty generous funding to do their research, think about their policies, to communicate locally”.
Regardless of this, parties must fundraise if they are to build up electoral war-chests and annual national draws are the primary means for doing this. Donations – upon which there are very restrictive limits – are another source of funds that can be used on elections, as is funding from party membership subscription fees and even bank loans.
Whether it all pays off for candidates remains to be seen.