Let’s apply local council standard to the Dáil?

THE public have a reasonable right to know the private interests of politicians which might perhaps influence political decisions.

If one declares an interest at local authority level, one is supposed to opt out of speaking and voting on the issue concerned. Why this procedure does not apply in the Dáil I cannot understand. If the tribunals have taught us anything, it is that if you shake the tree long enough, bad apples will fall.

But a tribunal for every scandal would be absurd. Better to frame a code of laws setting out the unacceptable from the fair, the straight from the crooked in order to restore confidence in banks, institutions, public life and in all professions.