Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

I have some sympathy with the Deputy in respect of the amendment. Naturally one would say I would say that. The Deputy proposes to insert, "Proceedings taken pursuant to this Act shall not have the effect of excluding persons from elected public office by virtue only of their being made bankrupt". He is trying to suggest that if any Member of the Oireachtas sues or is sued for defamation and is made bankrupt under the legislation, he or she will not be subject to the provisions that prevent bankrupt Oireachtas Members from remaining in office. The advice I received is that it would be better to address the conditions attached to holding elected public office in other legislation. Perhaps we could consider this in the context of the ethics in public office or electoral legislation.

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