Jennifer was second-highest spender nationally in general election campaign
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor celebrates with family and supporters after being re-elected last December
MINISTER of state Jennifer Murnane O’Connor was the second highest spender nationally in last December’s general election, according to an analysis by published last month.
Minister Murnane O’Connor spent a total €44,008.52 on her campaign, which began with her nomination at the Fianna Fáil general election convention on 30 July 2024 and culminated in her election on 2 December last year. She was elected on the final count, receiving 11,446 votes.
Minister Murnane O’Connor’s spending was bettered only by deputy Ruth Coppinger, who stood for People Before Profit – Solidarity in the Dublin West constituency. Deputy Coppinger spent €46,186 on her campaign.
Out of her own funds, minister Murnane O’Connor spent €20,785.66 on publicity, including signage, premium leaflets, vehicles, sponsorship and social media advertising.
She spent €4,680.10 on campaign workers; €3,061.40 on advertising (of which €2,811.40 was spent on advertising with ); €3,248.96 on election posters; €1,860.40 on a driver, fuel, freight and a night at the Woodford Dolmen Hotel for an event; €850 on office supplies; €120 on market research by Nessa Hanlon; and €236.26 on campaign jackets.
Fianna Fáil spent an additional €9,166.52 on minister Murnane O’Connor’s campaign, and also gave €5,461.92 to Peter ‘Chap’ Cleere’s campaign and €2,168.55 to John McGuinness.
Deputy Catherine Callaghan, who stood for Fine Gael, received 14,087 votes and spent a total of €15,326.72 on her campaign. Sinn Féin TD Natasha Newsome Drennan spent even less, at €10,450.56, and won 8,791 votes.
calculated that the average spend by a candidate on the election campaign was an estimated €20,490, less than half that spent by minister Murnane O’Connor.
The details of the candidates’ spending are available from the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO). All candidates for the general election must submit expense statements to SIPO within 56 days of the polling day and specify every expense incurred during their campaigns.
Once elected, the candidates are entitled to a refund of €11,200 from the state. Furthermore, as a minister of state in the Department of Health with special responsibility for public health, wellbeing and the national drugs strategy, Ms Murnane O’Connor receives a basic salary of €117,113 and €47,314 in additional salaried allowance.
In response to questions about her campaign spending, minister Murnane O’Connor said that to win three Fianna Fáil seats for Carlow/Kilkenny, she felt “it was important to invest”.
“Fianna Fáil had three great candidates running, strong candidates” and “put in an excellent performance. We got a great response from the electorate.”
She believed that the fact that Carlow/Kilkenny was the only constituency in the country to have three Fianna Fáil seats was an “excellent result”.
Minister Murnane O’Connor added that the non-party funding for her campaign came from a "very well attended fundraising breakfast event in advance of the election" and from funds which she personally contributed.
