A DECISION by Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin to embrace and promote ethical standards in politics is a welcome development that can only benefit the quality of democracy. Attempting to put “clear blue water” between his leadership and past unethical behaviour by some party members, he acknowledged the depth of public anger that exists on the issue of corruption and he called for a ban on corporate donations.
This declaration of intent coincides with the latest appeal by the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) for tighter controls on election spending; for a level playing pitch for all candidates; for greater oversight and for a more transparent system of political funding. For the 10 years of its existence, SIPO’s recommendations for reform have been regarded as unwelcome interference by successive governments and its requests for investigative powers have been largely ignored. Fianna Fáil was in office for all of those years. On the basis of commitments given in the Fine Gael/Labour Party programme for government, however, that situation may be about to change.
All-party agreement now exists that corporate donations should be banned. It is not before time. Earlier, the major parties circumvented the law by seeking corporate donations just below the disclosure threshold. As a means of addressing the issue, SIPO suggested that political parties should publish annual accounts of income and expenditure. That may have been a bridge too far for this Government. While it has agreed to reduce donation limits and disclosure thresholds, no commitment has been given to open up party accounts. However such an initiative would show an unequivocal commitment to a new kind of politics.
Other matters that have concerned SIPO over the years and are likely to be addressed in legislation include the modernisation of bribery and electoral codes and statutes in relation to white-collar crime. Last year, the Director of Public Prosecutions James Hamilton warned of corruption of the political system through corporate donations and advocated measures to deal with serious fraud and complex financial transactions. A long agenda of necessary reforms has developed because of past inaction. The Government has undertaken to establish an electoral commission that will subsume the functions of SIPO and other relevant bodies. When it does so, the powers and investigative functions identified by SIPO as necessary checks on politicians and political parties should become central elements.