Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Farrell. I acknowledge her interest in this issue and the work she has done on it over the past couple of years. As she knows, there is to be a formal transfer of functions from the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, to me in respect of these matters. I anticipate that this will happen very shortly. It needs to go to the Government. In the meantime, the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform has published the report, which the Deputy has acknowledged. People can see from it that it is a substantive piece of work, amounting to almost 90 pages of detailed analysis of the ethics framework for public office. It also charts a way forward. For as long as I will have policy responsibility for this issue, I will be determined to make progress.

The next step is the preparation of a general scheme, or the heads of a Bill. That work is now under way. I have met the staff who are actively working on it. It is very complex work but it will be done and there will be a general scheme later this year. It will benefit from pre-legislative scrutiny but will need Oireachtas support across the board because I want everyone to buy into the reforms and changes that will be needed. It will involve a new legislative framework underpinned by a set of overarching integrity principles; new specific statutory prohibitions, including on the use of insider information; strengthening disclosures requirements to improve transparency and examining whether the regime should encompass more officeholders; and strengthening SIPO, bearing in mind that we have looked back at all the recommendations it has been making in recent years; and post-term employment restrictions for elected officials or public servants that address matters not already covered by lobbying regulation and should align closely with the associated legislation. As the Deputy knows, the final Stages of the lobbying Bill will be taken in the Dáil very shortly.

The report is now published and available for everyone to examine and come to a view on. It lays out a direction of travel. The next steps are the introduction of a general scheme and engagement by this committee in pre-legislative scrutiny. I hope that will happen in the coming months.