Micheál Martin
Ceist:272 Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the progress made on the recommendations of the Moriarty Tribunal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21296/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 1 May 2012
Ceisteanna (212)
Freagraí scríofa
Recommendation 62.15 of the Moriarty Tribunal Report (March 2011) is that the Standards Commission could appoint an inspector to audit the financial affairs of an office holder, within the meaning of the Ethics Acts, by the voluntary and positive election of the office holder, at any time during his/her period in office and for a defined period thereafter. I am examining another possible approach, namely, to allow the Standards Commission to audit an office holder's financial affairs, but only in the case of an investigation by the Commission of the office holder for an infringement of the Ethics Acts or the Electoral Acts involving his personal financial affairs. Such an approach would allow an office holder's financial affairs to be audited where there is a real concern about standards in public life.
Following the recent Government Decision responding to the Mahon Tribunal, I am reviewing the detailed set of recommendations contained in the Mahon Report related to ethics as well as those contained in the Moriarty Report in order to formulate proposals for those recommendations falling to this Department to progress. In that context, I will consider in consultation with the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government and the Attorney General what steps may be necessary in terms of root-and-branch reworking of the ethics framework.