Former TD says costs should not be a barrier to people entering politics

A former North West TD is warning new candidates contesting elections that they will be dependent on posters and as a result will face significant expenses. The comments from the former Donegal Independent, Thomas Pringle come as a recent investigation which found it costs on average, over €20,000 to run a successful election campaign.. The Journal Investigates Report claims that least €9.2 million in total was spent by candidates and political parties during the last election with an average of €20,490 being spent by successful candidates. Former Donegal Independent Deputy Thomas Pringle, unsuccessfully contested last year's General Election in Donegal.  He says the experience cost him somewhere in the region of fifteen thousand Euro.