Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

These matters are dealt with in another set of questions with which we will deal later. In any event, to be of assistance I will deal with any questions that arise. In regard to the third supplementary on the issue of allowing the office to initiate an inquiry, I believe a balance has to be struck between a proper investigation where there is a potential breach of guidelines and the good reputation of Deputies, Senators or Ministers being upheld. If there is a problem, a complaint should be made. On foot of a complaint an investigation should take place. If there is a problem in the public domain that the people feel is of a serious nature, presumably a complaint would be made by an affected or third party. On that basis it would trigger an investigative mechanism. I do not believe it is necessarily right that the investigator should be able to instigate an investigation at his or her own volition, with all the impact that would have, and find at the end that there was nothing at the back of it. All the loss of reputation and distress caused to the person against whom the complaint was made would have been without foundation. A balance has to be struck. The legislation sets out that balance and that is where things stand. Processes should be initiated on foot of complaints not on foot of someone deciding he or she wants to proceed with a process because of something out in the ether or because of something someone heard or said. One should put it on paper, make a complaint, deal with it properly and let us have fairness all around.

On the question of the amounts considered in the Ethics in Public Office (Amendment) Bill, the initial amount of €650 was mentioned 14 years ago. We are considering changing it for today's values and to set it for 14 years' hence as well. It is always a question of judgment, of deciding what should be the threshold, taking into account the situation does not remain static and to avoid having to make further amendment two or three years hence. It would need to be suitable over a longer period of time. It is a question of a judgment call because it is not an exact science. This is where the legislation currently stands as it is being considered.

Departmental travel policies are based on guidelines from the Department of Finance and these are applicable to all staff. The guidelines set out the policy regarding appropriate class of air travel, standard of hotels to be used and use of own transport. The aim of the guidelines is to minimise official travel costs, achieve value for money for expenditure necessarily incurred consistent with the effective discharge of official duties. This is the basis upon which these matters are dealt with.

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