Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

104. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 99 of 13 February 2025, for an update on plans to review and strengthen the ethics in public office legislation following the completion of the review of the statutory framework in December 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16248/25]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Could the Minister give me an update on the plans to review and strengthen the ethics in public office legislation? The review of the need to change it was done and we are into our third year now since December 2022. Could the Minister give us an update on the specific plans of the Government?

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy is aware, we committed to updating the ethics in public office legislation in the recent programme for Government. This is on foot of a wide-ranging review the Deputy referred to on the legislative framework for ethics in public office my Department undertook during the last Government, the findings of which were published in February 2023.

The report's recommendations include: the legislative framework for ethics should be underpinned by a set of overarching integrity principles; disclosure requirements should be strengthened to improve transparency; and consideration should be given to whether the regime should encompass more officeholders. The report also recommends a strengthening of SIPO. I am also conscious of recent further recommendations relating to ethics which will need to be considered in the context of this reform.

This is a complex area which requires careful consideration. I intend to look in detail at the outstanding policy issues, including those I have outlined, and to have wider engagement with my officials on the most appropriate way to ensure the programme for Government commitment is fulfilled. My ultimate goal in this is to create a fit-for-purpose, easy to understand and user-friendly legislative ethical framework that contributes to the quality, efficacy and transparency of our system and builds on the strengths of our existing framework.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am glad it is in the programme for Government. However, the Minister did not provide any dates whatsoever. There are very serious issues here. These are being raised not just by me but also by SIPO, year after year, in its annual report. SIPO has highlighted the gaps that exist and its lack of power.

Will the Minister display some sense of urgency in relation to the issues that have arisen regarding insider information? Examples in this regard relate to the disclosure requirements, on which nothing has happened, and to the commission itself. There are members who are working full time in other areas. That needs to be looked at. The resources need to be looked at. There is also a need to look at what we do when we leave the Dáil, for example, where we go and the conflicts of interest that may arise. We also need to look at an independent Vote for SIPO. On every level, we need to strengthen SIPO and recognise the gaps that exist and that it has raised year after year. When is that going to happen?

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The first thing is to take into account the review that has happened and some of the more recent recommendations which have been made, and to have a policy consideration around those. Following that, what is set out in the context of the programme for Government is to give legislative underpinning to that. Once the policy matters have been bottomed out within my Department, which I am engaging on, I will be in position to develop a draft scheme. This will be done in collaboration with the Attorney General. It will then be considered by the Oireachtas process in the context of pre-legislative scrutiny. I will be working on this as a legislative priority.

I do not want to give the Deputy a particular date. What I will say is that it is an important priority for me as Minister. I want to fulfil the programme for Government commitments and ensure that we update the ethics in public office legislation and utilise the various external and internal reports that are there to underpin that work in the context of the reforms that have to be advanced.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. I appreciate that he is making this a priority. I also appreciate he cannot give me a date, but there has to be recognition that the existing legislation is totally inadequate, that SIPO has repeatedly pointed out a range of difficulties in terms of its lack of power in the context of ensuring that the highest standards in public office obtain. We know that. I am not going to go into individual issues, but there has to be a sense of urgency. The review of the framework was completed in December 2022. It is now 2025 and there is going to be still more consultation and more policy. I cannot understand how the Minister cannot introduce legislation and then amendments could be made along the way. There has to be an urgent recognition that we have failed to update SIPO in order to give it adequate powers to ensure the highest standards in public life. We all have made mistakes in our lives; none of us is perfect. We need an organisation that holds all of us to account to the highest standards. We need to empower and resource SIPO, but most of all we need recognition from the Government in relation to it.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

That is why it has been set out as a priority in the programme for Government and why, in the first instance, we need to make sure that the policy framework that is developed can be reflected in a general scheme. At that point, we will have pre-legislative scrutiny and cross-party input in the Oireachtas. This is an important matter across the political system in terms of broader engagement. We know that other legislative measures were published previously. These were not advanced. As a result, I want to make sure that we fulfil the intention of the programme for Government and that legislation can be enacted.

I am prioritising the particular policy inputs that we have. There are many of these in multiple reports and they need to be acted on in the context of the policy framework which will feed into a general scheme. We will be working with the Attorney General's Office to produce that. We would welcome and value input from the Deputy and all Members of the Oireachtas in ensuring we can update the legislation in the best way possible. That is what my intention is in the role I have been given.