More than seven months after the Taoiseach and the Tanaiste stood on the steps of Government Buildings in the aftermath of the ‘Bertiegate’ affair to announce the introduction of new Ethics legislation ‘as a matter of urgency’, the Bill has eventually seen the light of day.

However, the decision of the government to send the Bill to the Seanad first means that it will never become law prior to the election. There are only a matter of days left in the legislative life of the 29th Dail, and the strategy of the government is clearly to be able to say they published the Bill and then to allow it to ‘die’ with the dissolution of the Dail and the calling of the election.

Of course it says a lot about the standards of both Fianna Fail and the PDs that, following the disclosures about the monies received by Mr. Ahern, they consider it necessary to introduce legislation to prevent a Minister for Finance from taking huge cash gifts from a group of wealthy friends. Most politicians would simply regard the rejection of such gifts by a key Minister as a matter of prudence, good judgement and common sense.

It is also significant that the Government has availed of the opportunity presented by this Bill to very substantially increase the existing thresholds for registrable interests under the original Ethics Acts, including property owned, shares held, travel facilities provided or contracts for the supply of goods or services to a Government Departments. This move will significantly reduce the public information available about interests held by Ministers or Members of the Oireachtas. I am not aware of any demand for this change from either members of the Oireachtas or the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO).

On the other hand SIPO has, for some time, urged a change in the law to allow it to appoint Inquiry Officers in cases where the Commission wishes to pursue a matter under the Ethics legislation, but had not received a formal complaint. It is disappointing, but not surprising that Fianna Fail and the PDs have failed to use the opportunity presented by this Bill to accede to the Commission’s request.