Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Let me assure Deputy Adams that it is utterly unacceptable for any public representative to use his or her position for financial and personal gain. There can be no place in public life for the kind of behaviour that was witnessed on the RTE programme last evening. Public representatives are required to comply fully with the codes of conduct governing the performance of their duties. Obviously, the cases involving local authority members are, in the first instance, a matter for the local authority, which can refer the cases to the Standards in Public Office Commission for investigation. Cases involving Members of the Oireachtas are, in the first instance, a matter in for the Oireachtas, which can also refer cases to the Standards in Public Office Commission for investigation.

Notwithstanding these arrangements the Government is bringing forward new legislation to improve the disclosure system and the ability to investigate complaints. The public sector standards Bill will see the establishment of a public sector standards commissioner to replace the Standards in Public Office Commission and oversee the reform, complaints and investigations process. The heads of the Bill were published in June together with a public consultation process. One submission was received. It was sent to the Oireachtas committee and considered. The final draft is almost completed. I hope that, all going well, it can be brought to next week's Cabinet for publication. It will also provide a new consolidated framework to govern officials at national and local level. As a result, we will have a uniform and strengthened ethics code. It will apply across the public service, it will include politicians and officials and there will be a significant increase in disclosure requirements.

The new planning Bill to establish an independent regulator and the new criminal justice (corruption) Bill to replace and update the offences of giving or receiving bribes are at an advanced stage. I put it to Deputy Adams that those Bills are in addition to what has already been produced and implemented by Government. We have brought in legislation to regulate lobbying, bring about the effective banning of corporate donations, the restoration of the Freedom of Information Act, the Protected Disclosures Act to protect whistleblowers and the extension of the powers of the Ombudsman. Following consideration of the final Mahon tribunal report, the Government published a general scheme of a Bill in January this year to provide for the establishment of the office of the planning regulator. Under the provisions of the Bill, the office will be fully independent of the Department and responsible for the independent assessment of all local authority and regional assembly forward planning, including zoning decisions of local authority members in local area development plans, to ensure compliance with relevant national and regional policy. It will be empowered to review the organisation, system and procedures. It will be enabled to drive a national research, education and public information programme. All of these things take time. Those Bills have gone through and are in place. They will be followed by the three I have mentioned. In conclusion, there is no place in public life for what was witnessed by the people on the RTE programme last night.

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