Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 195: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will extend to the Standards in Public Office the power to investigate breaches of standards on its own initiative. [2573/08]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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As I have informed the House on previous occasions, the Standards in Public Office Act 2001 already allows the Standards in Public Office Commission to carry out investigations on its own initiative, where it considers it appropriate to do so, on breaches of the provisions of the Ethics legislation, by persons in the Commission's area of responsibility, and as provided for by the legislation.

The Deputy will, of course, be aware that issues concerning a non-office-holding member of the Oireachtas would, in the first instance, be a matter for the Select Committee on Members' Interests of the relevant House.