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Latest

Last month
November 2025
ChatGPT, a €400 bar tab and an Apple laptop: What did candidates expense at the last election?
The Journal Investigates looked at some of the more unusual expenses from candidates in the general election.
Some candidates expensed subscriptions for Zoom and X Premium
One election hopeful spent over €1,500 on keyrings
Car wraps, branded jackets and vehicle hires were also popular
October
October 2025
Political ad ban by social media companies leaves elections ‘susceptible to bad actors’
The Journal Investigates found huge money was spent on social media ads by candidates and parties during the last general election.
Big tech companies have banned political ads in response to new EU rules
Change in political ad rules will impact political campaigning online
Labour candidates dominate the list of highest elected spenders at last election
Fancy running for the Dáil? Here’s how much it might cost you
The Journal Investigates examined more than 500 election expense returns to uncover how much you might have to spend to secure a Dáil seat.
Elected candidates spent €20,000 on average
Just 14 TDs had all their election expenses refunded
At least €9.2m was spent during the last election