Mae Sexton (Longford-Roscommon, Progressive Democrats)

I am grateful to have this opportunity to discuss planning matters and the actions that are now in place to remove the suspicion in the public mind about political favours. It is very important that all democrats do so and demonstrate their determination to see even the slightest hint of corruption removed. It is in the interests of all politicians to give that reassurance to the public.

This Government has played an important role in taking steps to fix real and perceived problems. The Progressive Democrats Party is proud of the role it has played in tackling administrative corruption. While most of the holes identified have been plugged, others will emerge in the future. I am confident that the Government will continue to ensure that anything that emerges will be tackled immediately. We have established and resourced the Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments. We delivered the Standards in Public Office Act 2001, the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act 2001 and the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004. We have ensured that there are extensive and detailed controls on political donations and election spending and we have enacted two Electoral (Amendment) Acts and a Local Elections Act. Specifically, we have worked to increase the transparency under the Planning and Development Act 2000 as the lack of transparency over decades led to understandable public outrage. The Progressive Democrats Party remains committed to investigations into what happened in the past and actions to prevent them in the future. It is impossible to legislate for personal honesty, integrity and decency, as that is in the domain of the individual.

I listened to last night's contribution and noticed a great willingness to make broad spectrum accusations. I do not intend to contribute to that type of debate tonight and make allegations against any party nor defend any party as a group. I am here to illustrate the role of the Progressive Democrats, and our parliamentary party in particular, first in representing the interests of citizens and no one else in voting and policy decisions, and second in driving out corrupt practices from all political processes and reassuring the public that it can expect the highest standards of integrity, conduct and concern for the public interest.

Regrettably, attempts were made in the House last night, in particular by the Green Party, to tarnish the reputation of the Progressive Democrats by referring to the Tánaiste and reading newspaper articles into the Dáil record. I refer Members to her contribution at the tribunal last month, an appearance that turned out, despite all the hyperbole, to be a non-event. Our time would be better spent in reassuring the public that the political system is capable of preventing corruption where it has been identified and where it is possible to do so, rooting it out and ensuring that it does not recur, rather than in political point-scoring, pre-empting the findings of a tribunal that the Oireachtas itself established.

Members must remember the job we gave the tribunal. It is only right that it hold its meetings in public. It will prepare its final report, which will be presented to the Oireachtas for it to make decisions. The tribunal has been mandated to make recommendations, and the Progressive Democrats Party is determined that they be acted on. It is taking time to do so, perhaps longer than any of us might have anticipated. We were all aware of the intricacies when the tribunal process was established, and we cannot now criticise its work or complain at the time that it is taking to collate the information.

In any event, the Government has not been idle in anticipation of the tribunal report. I have already referred to the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2002. The Progressive Democrats has committed itself to the introduction of increased public scrutiny and consultation. The public justifiably expects planning permission and zoning decisions to be based on what is best, most sustainable and appropriate. Given the rate of growth in the population, employment and prosperity resulting in those developments, we must provide a proper planning system that is independent, designed to be fair and impartial, and open to scrutiny.

The Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2002 increases political oversight of the system and extends the rules on ethics for planning authority staff. The dilution of public confidence in the planning system resulted from a lack of integrity, proper conduct and concern for the public interest among councillors and employees working either individually or together. The Act now makes it a matter of duty for councillors and employees to ensure they reach the highest standards. We now have an annual declaration of wide ranges of interests, the disclosure of interests in matters before authorities, and public registration, all measures with teeth. Failure to comply is an offence, and the penalties are rightly set high enough to act as a deterrent.

I do not blame the public for its frustration, anger and concern. We share its concerns, along with many other Members. We have acted to root out the causes rather than to exacerbate that worry and frustration through broad-stroke criticism of the kind the Opposition attempted last night. The public does not want that but to see that steps are being taken to sort matters out. The Opposition implies that the system is corrupt and inefficient in its entirety when, although no doubt with its faults, by international standards it is open, transparent and effective.

The vast majority from all political parties have no involvement in corruption. Nonetheless, the Progressive Democrats is strong in its determination to sort out whatever problems exist at whatever level. Our rapid and extensive economic success and changing population have generated unprecedented demand for homes. We must provide a system that delivers what is needed in a way that attracts the public's confidence. That is our job in this House, and I assure Members that the Progressive Democrats intend taking that matter seriously.

See this speech in context