https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2023/0214/1356576-sinn-fein-expenses/'Regrettable' that bills were not paid - Sinn FéinUpdated / Tuesday, 14 Feb 2023 11:51
Pearse Doherty said it was up to local areas to clear the outstanding amountBy Tommy Meskill
Sinn Féin has said that it is "regrettable" that bills accrued by the party at local level were not paid.
It follows a report in the Irish Independent this morning that poster services availed of during the 2014 election, promoting a number of candidates, have yet to be cleared in full.
The Dublin based printing company, The Printed Image, has confirmed to RTÉ News that it has written off the payments as bad debts, after bills worth €5,304.78 went unpaid.
It is understood that the company was contacted by Sinn Féin Head Office today, as the party sought further information on the outstanding bill, however the party maintains that this is a matter for its local areas to resolve.
Poster services were provided to candidates in a number of counties during the 2014 election.
A spokesperson for the party has said that bills, for which Sinn Féin Head Office was responsible, were paid. However "it is regrettable that local areas did not clear their bills as they should".
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Sinn Féin's Spokesperson on Finance Pearse Doherty said that it was now up to local areas to clear the outstanding amount.
"I've already reached out to the finance department in Sinn Féin and have asked them to go back to local areas and to ensure that those bills are paid", he said.
Last month Sinn Féin had to update its election expenses statement to the Standards in Public Office Commission, after a number of errors were discovered.
The party said that this was due to an "administrative error that should not have happened".
