Ethics watchdog demands new powers

ANTI-CORRUPTION measures must be further improved to enhance people’s confidence in the Government, Dáil and other public bodies, the State’s ethics watchdog has said.

Launching its annual report yesterday, the Standards in Public Office Commission said all publicly-funded bodies should have to adhere to the Ethics Acts.

In January, the number of bodies in the civil and public service which are within the scope of the acts increased from almost 400 to approximately 470.

But there remains a number of publicly-funded organisations which are not within the remit of the acts, commission chairman Mr Justice Matthew Smith noted. These range from hospitals such as St Vincent’s in Dublin to marketing bodies such as Tourism Ireland.

Under the legislation, it is up to Finance Minister Brian Cowen to include such bodies within the acts’ scope.

The commission repeated its call to be allowed initiate its own inquiries.

Currently, the commission can only launch an investigation into an alleged contravention of the acts if a complaint is first made.

It has argued that it should be allowed appoint its own inquiry officers in cases where the commission wishes to pursue a matter but not received a complaint.

However, Mr Cowen has already expressed himself satisfied with the powers of the commission, stating last year that they were ample to meet public concerns.

The commission said it was disappointed with this response, stressing it would only use the desired powers in “the most exceptional of circumstances”.

The report also provided an update on the commission’s investigation of Limerick West TD Michael Collins, who in 2004 paid the Revenue Commissioners €130,000 in outstanding tax after being caught holding a bogus non-resident bank account.

The commission said that, as a matter of routine for all TDs, Mr Collins provided it with a tax clearance certificate in 2002, only for his name to be published in Iris Oifigiúil in September 2003 as the holder of a bogus non-resident account.

Having received a complaint about the matter, the commission subsequently began investigating whether Mr Collins had committed an offence by furnishing the tax clearance certificate.

However, in June 2004, the commission decided to suspend its investigation until the matter had been dealt with by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

“At the time of writing,” the report said, “the matter is still under consideration by the DPP and An Garda Síochána and there is no indication of when a decision may be reached.

“The Standards Commission is concerned at the length of time this matter has been under consideration and urges that it be resolved without further delay.”