Transparency Issues And GoFundMe Pages For Irish Politicians.

Spoiler alert: they're not very transparent!

Think of platforms like GoFundMe as the new-age lemonade stands; instead of quenching thirst, they’re quenching the seemingly insatiable financial needs of politicians everywhere. But before you toss your coins into this digital wishing well, let's talk about the transparency issues that lurk in the background. In recent years, online crowdfunding has become a pivotal tool for political campaigns, democratising the reach of fundraising beyond traditional methods, like, erm, the infamous Fianna Fáil Galway tent.

Under political funding laws in Ireland, the maximum allowable donation to a politician from an individual is €1,000, falling to €100 if the person wants to remain anonymous to the public.

Political crowdfunding is where every candidate with a smartphone and a dream of political office can effortlessly pass around a digital hat, similar to passing around the basket at mass. The primary transparency issue is the anonymity of some donors. While traditional political contributions…