Madam, – This Government needs to urgently reform the expense system for all politicians.
I would like to suggest that all TDs, Senators and councillors be given free bus and train passes for their period in office; that their taxable salaries be increased and all expenses eliminated. Recent scandals and revelations are damaging to the body politic and undermine a system badly need of reform. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Given that it would appear An Taoiseach cannot insist on one of his (or indeed his predecessor’s) nominees resigning his seat in Seanad Éireann, might it be prudent for future taoisigh to have a pre-signed letter of resignation from each nominee prior to their actual appointment? A bird in the hand . . . – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Surely it is the Government that must be expelled for “conduct unbecoming”? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – In view of the debacle surrounding Senator Ivor Callelly’s expenses, could we not have an independent body to scrutinise expenses submitted by members of the Oireachtas?
It does not require rocket science to put in place a system whereby if submitted expenses are found after examination to be in any way improper or fraudulent, those guilty should face the full rigour of the law, along with removal from office and loss of any pension or pensions accruing from their political activities. A simple case of one strike and you are out. This might go a long way in getting elected and non-elected members to clean up their act. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – The recent complaint to An Garda Síochána against Senator Ivor Callely seems to point to a misconception that such a complaint must first be made by a member of the public in order for the Garda to investigate an alleged crime. Such an assertion has no basis whatever in law.
A fundamental principle of the Irish law is that is the ultimate party wronged when a crime is committed is the community as a whole. The Constitution is quite clear on this point when it says at Article 30.3 that “all crimes and offences . . . shall be prosecuted in the name of the People”. Therefore the Garda (and ultimately the DPP) are entitled to act on their own initiative on behalf of the community as a whole to investigate and prosecute offences, irrespective as to whether a complaint has been lodged against a specific party or not.
A complaint is not required by law before an investigation can commence, and the courts have ruled more than once that if any such provision were ever to exist in law, it would likely be struck down as inconsistent with the Constitution. The High Court has ruled on this issue on a number of occasions, most recently in DPP v Monaghan in 2007. – Yours, etc,