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EOIN HAYES HAS taken down his GoFundMe and iDonate pages that were set up to fund his election bids due to “increased public interest” in the contributions and his desire to protect some donors’ privacy.
Hayes was elected to the Dáil as a Social Democrats TD in the general election, but has since been suspended from the parliamentary party after he confirmed he gave incorrect details about when he sold shares he held in a software firm that supplies technology to the Israeli Defence Forces.
The shares were worth €199,000 before tax when he sold them.
Hayes has now removed his funding pages for his local and general election bids this year, the latter of which received almost €9,000 in donations.
In a statement, he said he has returned €1,500 to one doner of his general election campaign, as the contribution of €2,500 exceeded the legal annual limit of €1,000 for individuals.
“He made that donation online, using the anonymous function on GoFundMe, and did not discuss that anonymity or the amount with me prior to making the donation,” said Hayes.
“I understand the donor confused the annual party limit (€2,500) with the annual individual limit (€1,000).
“I wrote to the donor and explained I would need to refund the excess (€1,500) and he agreed to this course of action, reiterated his support for me, and I have now refunded those funds.”
Rules around funding for donations to politicians mean a candidate cannot accept an amount that exceeds €1,000 from one person. If a politician does accept more than €1,000 for any reason, the politician must pay back the difference.
Hayes added in his statement that since the shares controversy, no donor has requested their money back.
“In fact, many have sent me messages of encouragement and support.”
Hayes said his reason for taking the funding pages down now is that in recent days there has been “increased public interest” in the contributions.
He said that “while I have an obligation to provide names of donors in annual disclosures and am currently preparing those disclosures, not all donors names are required to be in the public domain”.
“So in the interest of the donors’ right to privacy, I decided to take down the pages.”
Until the summer, Hayes continued to hold shares in Palantir, a firm he worked for from 2015 to 2017.
He disclosed this in his declaration of assets upon being elected as a councillor in the Kimmage-Rathmines area in June.
In his declaration – which was erroneously signed June 2024 but which a spokesperson for the Social Democrats later said was actually signed in July 2024 – Hayes stated that he divested the shares “within the last 12 months”.
During a press conference with SocDems TDs on Tuesday, Hayes was repeatedly asked by reporters when exactly he sold his shares in Palantir and how much he sold them for. He repeatedly refused to give an answer on when exactly he sold them.
Instead, when continuously pushed on the matter, Hayes told reporters that he sold the shares before he entered politics.
“As soon as I became aware that Israel had very close relationships with that company I divested,” Hayes told reporters.
However, in a statement sent by the Social Democrats later that day, Hayes clarified that what he told reporters this morning was “not true”.
Hayes went on to apologise and said that he actually sold his shares in July 2024, a month after he was elected as a councillor.
He was subsequently suspended from the parliamentary party. This does not impact his Dáil seat and he remains a TD for Dublin Bay South.
He removed his GoFundMe and iDonate pages on Tuesday evening.
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My God He sets up a go fund me page to pay for his election expenses after he selling shares worth £200k.He makes the monk look like Santa Claus.
@Willie Marty: And do you know what his tax liability is? I mean, it’s either 52% or 33% depending on what type of award it was it’s really a nothing story except the fact he was a month late with his declaration after the June Elections.
And most politicians will and do fundraise.
@Paul O’Mahoney: do you know what his offset was?
Jumping to defend a person who blatantly lied when asked about the sale date – why, why would you do that?
@Jim: why are you on a witch hunt at the same time Jim? I am of the same opinion myself. It’s a storm in a teacup. He sold the shares before running in the general election. No one really cares about the council elections in this context. He worked for a company got shares, which I imagine were share options with an exercise price. He exercised and sold these shares. He got 199k back for these shares and we don’t know what the exercise price was (it could have cost him 50k to exercise them for example). He would have paid tax on the profit. He was out a month on his declaration of when he sold them. Big whoop. He sold them. Before the general election. Absolute storm in a teacup and witch hunt. Grow up a small bit.
@Willie Marty: seriously, Willy, the monk? A gangland criminal?
@Kevin Kerr: This nonsense has become like a modern-day iteration of the moving statues. Group hysteria abounds as each petal falls over the other to express their absolute outrage. It’s fantastic!
@Paul O’Mahoney: he didnt have to pay 1 cent that he didnt owe to the state. Same as the rest of us.
@Jim: I don’t know what an offset is . And whose defending him is perfectly reasonable for shares to be part of remuneration and has been since I started work in 1987, even Revenue will allow a tax right off of 40% if the shares are held for 3 years . Your problem seems to be he lied by a month you are clutching at straws to make your view valid..
@Paul O’Mahoney: if CGT – tax liability date is Dec 15. So still has the 200K.
@Paul O’Mahoney: you know nothing about share/option exercise.
@Paul O’Mahoney: paul do you ever take off that accountants hat.
@Kevin Kerr: He seems to have a lot of soc dem supporters on here today.
@Paul O’Mahoney: he wasn’t a month late on his declaration,he lied on his declaration.
@Eoin Jackson: he lied on the declaration.
@Paul O’Mahoney:
“he lied by a month”
No he just fecking lied
@Paul O’Mahoney: clutching at straws?
He lied, pure & simple. Had people known the true he may never have been elected. Don’t know how hard that is to understand
@Jim: had people known the truth that he sold shares in July rather than June would have impacted them on whether they voted for him in November? Yeah don’t think so…
@Jim: Oh I understand it and on a scale with 10 being the worst his was 1 if even that.
This ” foray ” is not that important but it’s the total overreacting of people is hilarious .There are far more important issues that need addressing and this faux outrage for what’s going on in Palestine reminds me of the 80s when a PLO scarf was a fashion accessory..
@Paul O’Mahoney: he lied about the dates several times. That says it all .
@Jim: Maybe @Paul O’Mahoney is a closet Soc. Dem. ?
@Minnie Mouse: I have voted for them primarily as I’m a Labour voter and since the 2011 election I didn’t vote for Labour and Catherine Murphy is in my constituency so I voted for her , voted Labour this time around with SDs 3rd preference.
Shares were worth nearly €200k and he sets up a GoFundMe. Some neck there bunglebluffin.
@rqHSc3FP: shares also would have had an exercise price and he would have paid tax likely at 33% on it. If the shares cost him 50k, he made 100k not the 200k you are trying to make out. But no one actually knows. There are politicians who are infinitely a damn sight wealthier than he is that set up go fund me and fundraisers to run for office. Absolute storm in a tea cup this.
@rqHSc3FP: offended much?
@Eoin Jackson: he made 200k. He paid the tax on them that was owed to the state. Fact – he made 200k. If you know about stock/option exercises (you do not) you will know tax is not deducted at source- CGT or PAYE return or otherwise.
@rqHSc3FP: yes the person with a finance degree who actually owns stock options myself has no idea on how stock options work… yeah, completely.
@Eoin Jackson: we all know you have a Group Cert only but still didn’t make the cut for Templemore.
@rqHSc3FP: it says he received 199k for the sold shares. If you knew anything about stock options (you do not) you would know they have an exercise price. Ie a price in which you have an option to hit these shares at. He then sold the shares for 199k. Now let’s do a very basic accounting lesson for you. 199k – cost of option = profit on option. I never said tax was deducted at source, doesn’t mean he doesn’t have to part with those funds does it? He still has a tax liability of 33% of the profit. And again, for the more slow amongst us; profit = 199k – cost of the option. Cost of the option = number of shares bought under option x exercise price. Bsc Finance along with professional exams in the finance sector, but yeah I don’t know how options work hahahahaha
@Eoin Jackson: Don’t bother Eoin it’s another spoof account.
@Eoin Jackson: you’ve confused shares and options. Shares do not have an exercise price, options do. Entirely different things.
He’s joining FF the obvious next step.
@K O: At least it won’t be the Irish Fascist Party.
@Alan Cooke: doubt he’ll join Sinn Fein
@Hot Jim: doubt it as well doubt he would support paedophilia
This entire fuss about nothing continuing to make the news, clearly illustrates all that is wrong with both Irish politics and the Irish media.
If there had only been as much outrage, fuss, demands for answers, and holding to account of elected politicians over the housing crisis during the last four years of government…
@Dvsespaña: the same can be said for Robert Troy as well, the media went way over the top
@Dvsespaña: Clearly don’t understand The Social Democrats standpoint on Palestine. Tragic really defending the indefensible.
@Liam23: The TD that didn’t list his business interests properly, but you’re defending him, shows the problem with this country. Oh sorry, but he needed help to fill out the form and yet elected as a politician and people wonder why corruption is rife in this country.
@Liam23: he feckin lied on his declaration as well FFS
@Brian D’Arcy: What is tragic is the fact that you, as someone who is presumably an adult, expressing such a childish understanding of the real world.
I don’t suppose you are going to dump your phone and all your other electronics because the same components and technology is being supplied to and used by Israel and as a act of solidarity with the people of Gaza?
The ongoing genocide in Gaza is horrendous, but the issue isn’t trade, supplying goods or technology to either side, it’s the sad reality that a lot of Israelis and Palestinians would be happy to beat each other to death with clubs if nothing else was available to do so.
Demonising some first time TD for allegedly supporting Israeli genocide around the timing of selling some shares he got as part of his employment is farcical.
@Brian D’Arcy: not defending him, both were wrong. Just said the media is over the top compared to bigger issues
@Liam23: Yeah, right.
Returned €1,500 to a doner”. That’s a wrap then, is it? #prayforkebabs
A true politician speaking out of both sides of his mouth, and lies from both sides. He should resign his Dáil seat without further delay.
He needs to resign his seat and it should be given to Sinn Feins Chris Andrews
@Kevin O Brien: that’s not how things work.
@Kevin O Brien: I think this is partly why alot of the electorate are suspicious of SF. Matt Carty called for him to resign and the seat automatically given to their candidate. That isn’t how democracy works. If he did resign, there should be a by-election and allow us a chance to elect a candidate to the 4th seat in the constituency (possibly ejecting him again)
@Kevin O Brien: Andrews wasn’t elected, are you saying a bye election, then let the people decide.
Imagine A) having wasted your vote ( innocently & unintentionally) on this liar or B) having contributed your hard earned € to his election/ gofundme pages ….my hope is that the SD’S can ride out this Maelstrom of negativity & become the party I believe they can actually be
#defundeoinhayes.
Too soon?
Overblown story compared to what’s going on. Epic virtue signalling by the Soc Dems.
@JP: Quick Look here
@JP: Helping a people surrounded by enemies who had just don an early morning slaughter of 1200 men women and children would be a vote getter in a civilised. country.
@thomas molloy: Not when the people in question respond by perpetrating a 14-month slaughter of tens of thousands.
@thomas molloy: genocide enabler.
@Brendan O’Brien: and this Thomas fella describes himself as a Christian
@Brendan O’Brien: “Two wrongs don’t make a right” cuts both ways. Supporting either side is problematic.
@Dermot Blaine: The bait fishing at Howth is good.
Whats the issue. He worked for a company got shares as part of his terms and conditions, sells said shares. Runs for election and like most others ask/gets donations to help cover the cost. All this fake outrage is laughable.
@James Brennan: it’s laughable alright looking for money from the poor fools who voted for him despite having at least £200k to play with and probably a lot more.He should pay those people back their hard earned cash.
@James Brennan: the issues are:
a) the company itself
b) he bare-faced lied about the date which he sold the shares
@James Leahy: why should he pay it back, it called donations people voluntary gave him donations. So what if he sold shares to the tune of 200k, he got them as part of his terms of employment with a company. He would have paid tax on that 200k. But thats beside the point, all who run for election ask for donations and once you go over a vote quota you can claim government assistance for part of your election expenses. Be more worried about the developers money landing in MM wifes bank account that a guy looking for donations. Or Paschal n buddies not wanting the SIPO to hand over the over sight and implementing of the boys becoming paid lobbyist one the leave office or civil service to the legal profession.
@James Leahy: you do realise the majority of politicians are likely much wealthier and also ask for donations yes? Privately educated Mary Lou and all her niceties take donations from the north inner city of Dublin all the time, an area not exactly known for prosperity. That’s just one example that was easiest to put forward, not a dig at Mary Lou. ALL politicians do it. They could all afford to spend their own money running. NONE of them do. They all take donations. You’re a tad naive I would imagine are you?
@Jim: the company in question, supplies AI tech to several military industries, if you going go down that rabbit hole, then alot of the products we buy are made in china so we shouldnt buy them, or go to macdonalds, coke cola and all the brands under that umbrella. Plus what businesses is it of anyone if and when he sold those shares, once it was all above board and complies with the declaration given to be in public office to the dail committee, no issue. Storm in a tea cup
@James Brennan: plus, unless stipulated at the outset of a policy, most pension schemes invest in companies like this and worse.
@Eoin Jackson: I would be very naive if I swallowed all the propaganda you’re trying to project on here.
@James Leahy: can you imagine if this was a SF TD?
Sure it would be the ONLY item
on the news
@James Brennan
“once it was all above board and complies with the declaration given to be in public office to the dail committee: ”
But it didn’t,that’s the whole point,do you have any feckin idea what you are commenting on at all ??
@sean weir: exactly.
@James Leahy: propaganda? Stating this is a storm in a tea cup is propaganda and people’s faux outrage is hilarious? Don’t think so. Most people making the most noise on here have no idea what it is they are making noise about. It’s hilarious really and a complete non story.
@James Leahy: That how big business and politics works, they get investors, donors, or state funding to finance them and spend that money, not their own, if it doesn’t work out then they lose nothing, but it it turns out to be successful, then they alone reap the rewards.
@Dvsespaña: sounds more like how chancers and gangsters do buisness if you ask me.
Has Biden pardonned Armagh GAA yet?
@rqHSc3FP: Oh, yer a divil…
You can’t believe anything from this guy anymore. Once a liar, always a liar.
The sheer anti semitism undercurrent in this witchunt is palpable.
@Hunt Ley: You might need to look up the correct definition of Anti Semitism again, once you unlight your perpetually offended bandwagon.
@Hunt Ley: good luck with spinning that one
@Meh Meh: “unlight”?
Surprised the journal didn’t do a poll on whether or not he should be sent to Rwanda
At this stage, he should be stripped of his citizenship, made to wear sack cloths, and deported to Rockall to contemplate the horrors he has wrought on an innocent public for the remainder of his natural life.
@honey badger: here here
@honey badger: should be made go on Dancing With The Stars.
@rqHSc3FP: That’s going too far. Reported.
@honey badger: what about being forced to listen to a Joanne McNally/Vogue Fairy Williams podcast? That will teach him.
@honey badger: or he could just join FF,he would blend right in there
All the people constantly moaning about Israel but if you say anything to them about international banking or Hollywood, they will whinge about antisemitism and become very protective of the chosen people.
Special Cork song for this nugget
Just for men
@James Delaney: 100%
This is just to put manners on SD as they get interviewed by FFFG and reel their necks in a bit. Nothing story makIng waves for politician gain, same ole MSM
More than likely he is having a go at what they do in the states all the time, leave a corp enter politics get corp law/tax changes then back to former corp.
He has the most untrustworthy voice.
I bet that mulchtrolley Paul Mescal will play him in the film.
#prayforcaitrionacarey
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