Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 17 Dec 1998

Vol. 498 No. 6

Written Answers - Standards in Public Life.

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

37 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Finance the proposals, if any, he has under the aegis of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference for the development of links and co-operation with the development and implementation of proposals for the regulation of standards in public life; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26521/98]

Minister for Finance (Mr. McCreevy)

The British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference, BIIC, is to be established under the British-Irish Agreement to replace and subsume both the conference established under the Anglo-Irish Agreement and the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Council set up after the 1980 summit. The BIIC will bring together the British and Irish Governments to promote bilateral co-operation on matters of mutual interest within the competence of both Governments. At this stage it is envisaged that the conference will concentrate primarily on non-devolved matters pertaining to Northern Ireland. In that context, I would not expect that the issue of links and co-operation in the area of standards in public life will arise on the conference agenda.

However, the matter might be more appropriately raised at the British-Irish Council, BIC, which will also be established under strand three of the British-Irish Agreement. The Agreement provides that the purpose of the BIC will be: "to promote the harmonious and mutually beneficial development of the totality of relationships among the peoples of the islands". Membership of the council will comprise representatives of the British and Irish Governments, devolved institutions in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales together with representatives of the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.

However I should point out that both of the bodies mentioned are not yet fully operational and detailed work programmes have yet to be worked out. Against this background, the broad area of regulation of standards in public life is being raised with the Minister for Foreign Affairs who has ministerial responsibility for the British-Irish Council.