Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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136. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the steps he will take in response to the criticisms by the Council of Europe's anti-corruption body, GRECO, regarding Ireland's record in tackling corruption; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31954/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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On 29 June 2017, GRECO, the Council of Europe Anti-Corruption Body published a Report on Ireland's level of compliance with the fourth Round of Mutual Evaluations theme "Corruption Prevention in respect of members of parliament, judges and prosecutors". Ireland had been evaluated in 2014 and received 11 recommendations. The compliance report which was adopted in March 2017 was disappointing and Ireland was found to have only satisfactorily implemented 3 out of 11 recommendations.

GRECO was satisfied that Ireland had implemented the one recommendation in relation to prosecutors. In relation to members of parliament, GRECO found that Ireland was partly compliant and the enactment of the Public Sector Standards Bill will ensure a much higher level of compliance going forward. My colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform is progressing this Bill through the legislative process currently. In relation to the judiciary, Ireland was deemed to have implemented none of the five recommendations. Since this report was adopted, however, the Government has published both the Judicial Council Bill and the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill, and the enactment of these two Bills will substantially address these recommendations.

Ireland had been asked to report again to the Council of Europe by 31 March 2018 on the outstanding recommendations and I am committed to achieving a significantly better result next time around.  With that in mind, I have established a senior officials compliance committee to work through the various recommendations and to ensure that progress continues to be made on implementing both legislative and administrative recommendations.

Very soon, I will also be publishing a Criminal Justice (Corruption Offences) Bill, which will repeal and replace the seven previous Prevention of Corruption Acts 1889 to 2010 and will introduce some additional offences. The Bill will clarify the liability of corporate bodies for corruption offences. It will extend the range of penalties available to a court when a person is convicted to include forfeiture of public office in certain circumstances. The Bill will make renewed provision for the main requirements of a number of international anti-corruption instruments which Ireland has already ratified, and it will provide for recommendations made in the course of evaluations of Ireland by the various European and International Bodies, including GRECO.