John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)

I hope it is made available to Members.

The tribunal, having already issued four interim reports, is continuing its work in public hearings. The Government improved the transparency of the planning system. The Planning and Development Act 2000 extended rules relating to ethics for planning authority staff. It also introduced more opportunities for public consultation and scrutiny of both zoning decisions and the grant of individual planning permission. It increased political oversight of the system of development contributions.

A new regime of ethics in local government was introduced. The Local Government Act 2001 provided a new and comprehensive ethics framework for local government employees and councillors. The Standards in Public Office Commission was established. The Government introduced new controls over political donations including comprehensive requirements as to the size and disclosure of political donations. Legislation governing corruption was modernised.

The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act 2001 was enacted during my tenure as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Under the Act corruption is presumed where there is proof that certain persons in public office have received money or other benefits from a person who has an interest in the way certain functions are carried out or the outcome of specified decisions, including planning decisions. In effect, this reverses the burden of proof. A person who receives a payment in those circumstances will have to prove the payment is not corrupt, instead of the prosecution proving that it was. This makes prosecution for corrupt payments easier. Even the most dispassionate observer must acknowledge the Government has taken inordinate measures to root out even the hint of corruption in our public affairs.

Motions such as this are of immense importance for another reason. They afford us the opportunity to examine the performance of the Opposition and to see if its actions live up to its rhetoric. This is more especially the case when the motion is sponsored by the bicycled tut-tutters and windmill blowers of the Green Party.

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