The Standards in Public Office Commission will not be given powers to initiate its own inquiries without a complaint being made, it has emerged in the Dáil. Marie O'Halloranreports.
Tánaiste Brian Cowen asked why such powers would be given. "It is about time we stood up for ourselves over here," he told Labour leader Eamon Gilmore.
Mr Cowen said: "Where it is sought to impugn or examine the reputations of members of this house, that should be done on the basis of an allegation. Members should not be subject to the initiation of inquiries without a complaint being made."
Mr Gilmore, who raised the issue, said the Tánaiste had told him last week that he was holding off on the Ethics in Public Office (Amendment) Bill and said the Tánaiste had told him because he wanted to incorporate amendments from recommendations made by the commission.
However, Mr Gilmore said that Mr Cowen had told Labour deputy leader Joan Burton that he had rejected recommendations by the commission and would bring in only technical amendments to the Bill.
Mr Cowen said he did not believe that such powers should be given to the commission.
Mr Gilmore pressed the issue where the commission recommended that it should be empowered to start its own investigations rather than having to wait for a complaint to be made.
"Has the Government agreed to turn down the principal recommendations of the commission?" he asked.
Mr Cowen said he had stated that he would incorporate some but not all of the recommendations. "The proposed committee stage amendments have been drafted and, subject to the consideration of some minor points, should be finalised in the next few days."
He said the Bill as it stood amended only the Ethics in Public Office Act and those amendments should be ready shortly. When he said he did not believe the commission should be given powers to initiate its own inquiries, Mr Gilmore asked if that was the Government's view.
"I am speaking on behalf of the Government," Mr Cowen said.
When Mr Gilmore persisted and said he only wanted to know if the Government had agreed that no inquiries could be independently initiated by the commission, Mr Cowen said he had made his position clear.
He added that he would consult committee chairs about the proposal that they be designated as office holders for the purposes of the Ethics in Public Office (Amendment) Act.
"In order to meet the deputy's real demand that I try to implement as many of these recommendations as possible," Mr Cowen added, "I assure him that letters are about to float across to the chairs to ask them what they think of this idea."