Ethics in public office
Duncan Smith called for long-overdue ethics legislation and a Dáil debate after another alleged developer payment controversy involving a Fine Gael local election candidate.
We need a debate and legislation on ethics in public office. This is long overdue. We are nearly a decade on from the Mahon tribunal. Ethics are not optional extras. We have now had another example of "go away" money from a developer given to, in this case, a candidate in the local elections from the Taoiseach's party. I know the candidate in question has said she is suspending her campaign but she will still be on the ballot paper with the Fine Gael logo beside her name. The Taoiseach is still relatively new. What will he do in terms of legislating in this area? When will we have the debate? What does he say to the constituents of rural Drogheda about the candidate who will be on the ballot paper with his party's logo beside her name?