Two prominent UN human rights experts, including Irishwoman Mary Lawlor – Special Rapporteur for Human Rights Defenders – have criticised Ireland regarding its ban on fundraising for civil society.
Ms Lawlor and Clément Voule, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of association, were referring to the Electoral Act’s prohibition on fundraising of over €100, including in kind, for ill-defined “political purposes”. On occasion these purposes have been widely interpreted to include any kind of advocacy, including for human rights, by non-profit organisations.
In recent years, due to this wider interpretation by the regulator SIPOC, the clause has had a stifling effect on civil society. In some cases it has led to coordinated campaigns of complaint against groups and has even led to the closure of organisations.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has responded to the criticism, saying that it is taking steps to rectify this situation, including through the establishment of a much-needed Electoral Commission.
ICCL and the Coalition for Civil Society Freedom will be watching this process closely, to ensure an end to the stifling effect of the law on political advocacy by non-political organisations.