Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

Second, it has improved the transparency of the planning system. Third, it has introduced a new regime of ethics in local government. Fourth, it established the Standards in Public Office Commission. Fifth, it introduced new controls over political donations and finally, it modernised the legislation governing corruption.

In that context, the motion tabled by the Green Party and supported, among others, by Sinn Féin, is cynical and opportunistic in the extreme. Given the pop-eyed indignation from the Green Party at reported comments by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform earlier today this motion is also somewhat hypocritical, to put it mildly.

In a blatant attempt at political point scoring, the Green Party Members seek to pre-empt the ongoing work and ultimate findings of a tribunal of inquiry established by the Oireachtas. They also seek to tar all politicians in the main parties of this State as criminals or closet sympathisers.

They ignore the substantial body of legislation introduced by this Government to ensure probity in public office and in the public service. More importantly they ignore the fact that the vast majority of the men and women who serve in political office, from all parties in this State, do so with integrity. The bizarre proposition——

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