Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The issue of corruption is of paramount importance to those of us involved in transformative politics, which seeks to empower and encourage people to take control of their State and mould a better and more equal society. If there is no public belief that some in politics truly wish to achieve change, we are left with an impossible task. All Members have heard on doorsteps, radio call-in shows and at public meetings that those involved in politics are all the same. While many in politics may not directly engage in corrupt activities, the complicity, silence and facilitation engaged in by many creates an environment that bizarrely reinforces the ability for such corruption to continue because people grow weary of any hope that things could be different. The system is clearly rigged but the conclusion should never be to leave it as it is. We can build a better system but that will not be done by those who protect or give support to people or organisations that seek to subvert the will of the people and the public good.

Since the foundation of the State, corruption scandals have been common but justice has rarely been done in such cases. Such scandals date back to the awarding of mining contracts under Seán Lemass and allegations of insider trading in the run up to the establishment of CIÉ. In the late 1940s, the Minister's father led calls for an inquiry into favouritism in the sale of a distillery but it ended up hurting the late Deputy Flanagan rather than those accused of corruption. Later scandals involved planning permission, rezoning, and other property schemes that made a few people very rich and did a massive disservice to the public good. I would not be surprised if legislation being debated today is used in the future to challenge corruption relating to our current housing crisis and the sell-off of public lands.

When my party stood up to corruption in the North in regard to the renewable heat incentive, RHI, it was used as a stick with which to beat us.

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