The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath TD, has today (Thursday), launched a public consultation exercise as part of his Department’s review of Ireland’s statutory framework for Ethics in Public Life.
This consultation is open for submissions from the public for four weeks from today until the 23rd of December 2021.
Speaking about the Review, Minister McGrath said:
“Our commitment in the Programme for Government to “reform and consolidate the Ethics in Public Office legislation” targets one of the last pieces of unfinished business arising from the controversies over the last twenty years. My Department’s review of the statutory framework is the first step in meeting this commitment.
"I look forward to hearing the views of the public as part of the review. The outcome will inform proposals for legislative reform that I intend to bring forward in 2022. My ultimate goal in this is a fit-for-purpose, easy to understand and user-friendly ethical framework that contributes positively to the quality and effectiveness of our public governance.”
The Review of Ethics Legislation kicks-off a process by which this Government seeks to respond to outstanding recommendations of the Moriarty and Mahon tribunals.
The review will also take account of more recent developments such as:
- The ‘Hamilton Report’ recommendations on preventing economic crime and corruption, published last year;
- The Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) recommendations on reform of our statutory framework for ethics; and
- The Standards in Public Office Commission’s experience of administering the current framework.
Review of Ethics Legislation
