Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2015
286. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the current status of the report of the Moriarty tribunal; the actions his Department is taking further to the findings of this report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24502/15]
View answer287. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the actions his Department has taken following the publication of the report of the Moriarty tribunal to prevent the malpractices outlined from occurring again; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24503/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 286 and 287 together.
The Deputy may wish to note that one recommendation (62.15) of the Moriarty Tribunal falls within my remit. This recommendation seeks that consideration be given to the introduction of a discretionary or voluntary system to be assumed by positive election on the part of Office Holders within the meaning of the Ethics in Public Office Acts, 1995 and 2001, whereby they would permit their financial affairs to be audited by an inspector appointed by the Standards in Public Office Commission at any time during their period in office and for a defined period thereafter.
As the Deputy may be aware, a detailed review of the current statutory framework for ethics has recently been completed by my Department. This included examination of the recommendations of the Mahon and Moriarty Tribunals and other relevant recommendations, as well as international best practice. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that on 16th June the Government approved the priority drafting of a Public Sector Standards Bill 2015, which will provide for a reformed and modernised statutory framework governing the disclosure of interests for public officials.
The approach adopted in the General Scheme aims to secure the relevant objectives of the Tribunals to significantly strengthen the regulatory framework for the effective management of conflicts of interest and for minimising corruption risks. It is strongly guided by the analysis and findings contained in the Tribunal reports. In this context the proposed legislative reforms include, for example, a significant broadening of the material and personal scope of declarations of interest, increased frequency of declarations where changes have taken place and broadening and significantly enhancing the powers of the regulator for the ethics system. The proposals draw on the Moriarty recommendation and make provision for the regulator to carry out "own initiative" investigations which would encompass the Moriarty recommendation relating to voluntary audits.
