Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The Department of Finance reviewed the code of practice for the governance of State bodies and issued a revised and updated code on 15 June to include revised guidelines on travel policy for Departments and State bodies which take due account of the recommendations of the Committee of Public Accounts. I understand a further report on FÁS is due to be issued in respect of the internal audits. The conclusions drawn from that report will inform the committee's considerations and the Department of Finance in terms of the lessons to be learned.

Officeholders also have to abide by a code of conduct. Everyone is mindful that taxpayers' money should be spent in the most economic and fair manner possible and that extravagance should be avoided. Strong involvement is sometimes advocated in regard to arrangements but those who have had the privilege of holding office, including Deputy Burton, will be aware that arrangements are put in place for the conduct of work and it is not a question of Ministers seeking to augment itineraries. The itineraries are set out and Ministers do their work in the hope and expectation that everything is in order. Clearly, these traditional arrangements have to be reviewed in light of the context in which we are now operating because we want to maintain the trust and confidence of the people we govern and the taxpayers and electorate we represent.

There is on occasion an inclination to suggest that a particular issue or individual was involved when perhaps it is a matter of reviewing a systemic practice across the board. Too often, debate concerns the person rather than the issue. We need to be mindful of that because it is not in our interest to follow practices which are not consistent with the requirements of the country's current situation or which undermine confidence in the institutions in which we participate. Issues can be validly raised and debated but we need to avoid giving an incorrect or unfair impression. At the same time, the system has to respond in an appropriate and proportionate way to the fact that we are in different circumstances. That needs to be reflected in everything we do. This is not the view of any particular section of this House but is shared by all Deputies.

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