asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government will initiate or support moves at an appropriate international level to establish safeguards against the corruption of Government personnel or institutions by an international commercial organisation.
Written Answers. - Corrupt Practices.
43.
Work on establishing safeguards against corrupt practices by multinational corporations has been under way in recent years both in the OECD and the United Nations. At the OECD Ministerial Meeting on 21st June, 1976, Ireland, along with other OECD countries, adopted a declaration on international investment and multinational enterprises. This declaration includes a set of guidelines to be recommended by governments to multinational enterprises. One of these guidelines exhorts multinational enterprises not to render any bribe or improper benefit directly or indirectly to any public servant or holder of public office.
In the framework of the United Nations, a resolution was unanimously adopted at the last session of the General Assembly which condemns all corrupt practices by transnational and other corporations and calls on Governments to take all necessary measures to prevent such practices. Following on this resolution, the United States has proposed that negotiations of a binding international agreement on corrupt practices should begin at next month's session of the Economic and Social Council. Although Ireland is not a member of the Economic and Social Council, I indicated our support for the United States initiative at the recent OECD Ministerial meeting.