Transparency - Urgent need to revise proposals

Even in a society terribly bruised by too many shameful revelations, even in a society weary of scandal and greed, the last weeks have been more than disappointing for anyone who cherishes social equity and aspires to the benefits of proactive transparency in public life.

The sharp practice — and that is the most benign description possible of what went on — uncovered at the Central Remedial Clinic showed us all in a very poor light. Unfortunately, it will take a lot more than the resignation of the CRC board to undo the damage inflicted on a good and valued organisation and other organisations dependent on public support.

That top-ups scandal spread yesterday when St Vincent’s University Hospital said it would be “inappropriate” to provide the Government with details of allowances paid to senior staff. Minister for Health James Reilly warned that the hospital faces “serious consequences” — a withdrawal of funds — if it fails to co-operate with a HSE audit on sweeteners.

The atmosphere around that defiant two fingers darkened considerably yesterday when Independent Senator John Crown, a consultant at St Vincent’s, accused St Vincent’s of a “cover-up” and fraud by charging health insurers for drugs it was given free of charge. His assertion that an investigation into the affair was compromised moves the shocking accusation onto an altogether more sinister plane. The Government cannot be dismissed like zealous door-to-door proselytisers by St Vincent’s and the hospital would be very, very wrong to imagine it enjoys any public support for its shabby, self-serving stonewalling.

Over to you minister; do not be fobbed off.

As all of this bubbled away, there was a growing sense of a severe weather warning developing around Nama and its affairs. This, if it transpires, will not be surprising as any organisation — just a group of people after all — given Nama’s responsibilities would be very vulnerable to abuse. Nevertheless, the fact that Nama is to be called before the Dáil’s public accounts committee over suggestions that it deliberately undervalued loans bought from banks must be a cause for concern. That it is subject to a Garda investigation only adds to those concerns.

Those who argued when Nama was established that it was too secretive, too independent, and for any organisation dealing with vast property portfolios, vast public resources, vast debt and even greater opportunity may, unfortunately, see their fears realised.

All of these issues have been brought into the public sphere by our often maligned political process. Indeed, the Seanad — and four senators in particular — has helped set the pace on these issues in a very positive way, a way that goes some little way to restoring the relevance of our political process.

All of these scandals have a common theme — our destructive cultural aversion to accountability and openness. This aversion contributed to the rejection of legislation designed to give our parliament greater power to investigate matters of public concern. We described that referendum rejection as a victory for the Ansbacher Classes and each subsequent scandal confirms that view. They also show that revising that proposed legislation and enacting it is one of the most urgent challenges facing the Government.