Stephen Donnelly to lose €65,000 a year in state funding

Donnelly quit the Social Democrats and joined Fianna Fáil last week

Stephen Donnelly

New Fianna Fáil TD Stephen Donnelly is to lose out on almost €65,000 a year in state funding because of his decision to quit the Social Democrats last year.

Donnelly left the party he helped found in acrimonious circumstances last September and then ended long-running speculation by joining Fianna Fáil last week.

The Standards in Public Office Commission (Sipo) has confirmed to both Donnelly and the Social Democrats that the Wicklow TD cannot ...