Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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24. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he intends to bring forward legislative reform to strengthen the investigatory and enforcement powers of the Standards in Public Office Commission, particularly in cases involving potential interference in the democratic work of councillors; how the integrity of local government decision-making can be protected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38036/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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We have committed in our Programme for Government to “update the Ethics in Public Office legislation”. This follows on from a wide-ranging review of the statutory framework that my Department undertook during the last Government, the Report and findings of which were published in February 2023.

I am now moving to consider in detail the outstanding policy issues in order to determine the most appropriate way to move forward on this commitment. As part of this, I do envisage that proposals to be brought forward in this area will see a general strengthening of SIPO’s investigatory and enforcement powers.

I wish to assure the House that the Government’s ultimate goal in respect to the statutory framework for ethics is to create a fit-for-purpose and easy to understand ethical framework that contributes to the quality, efficacy, integrity and transparency of our system; builds on the strengths of our existing framework and supports and promotes democracy at all levels.