90. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform for an update on the proposed revised ethics legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16243/25]

Sentiment score: 0.01

Will the Minister provide an update on the Government's plans, as contained in the programme for Government, for updated ethics legislation? He will be well aware that we have been waiting a number of years to see the enactment of legislation that was committed to in the 2020 programme for Government. In fact, it first took draft legislative form in Brendan Howlin's Public Sector Standards Bill in 2015.

Sentiment score: 0.18

I hope the Minister will agree that the standard for this legislation, for want of a better description, was set in the 2015 legislation developed by Brendan Howlin, my then colleague and one of the Minister's predecessors. It has been a considerable number of years since the commitment was made. We have had three Governments since the 2015 legislation was introduced. We have had the review, to which I contributed. I think there were merely ten submissions to that particular process. Whether the Minister likes it or not, there is a renewed interest in ethics and standards in public life with the invitation to Michael Lowry to participate in Government. The latter was viewed by the relevant tribunal as a corrupt figure, something he has not challenged in the courts. This is a matter of major and genuine public interest. When will the Minister develop the heads of a Bill and bring it to the relevant committee?

Sentiment score: 0.28

There was a commitment in the previous programme for Government. The Deputy spent time as Minister for public expenditure and reform in that-----

Sentiment score: 0.19

The Minister has clarified that. I am happy to accept that. I hope then he will bring some renewed vigour, if I can describe it as such, to this particular process. This is fundamental. Parliamentary democracy is a fragile flower. We have seen across the world how bad actors can exploit situations of corruption or perceived corruption. The consequences of that are happening across the world. It is happening on our screens all the time and is having real impacts in the context of the election of populist right-wing leaders to positions of power. When the framework is revised, new obligations are going to be placed on elected officials and public officials, as has been advised in, for example, successive reports from SIPO. Does the Minister agree that people with criminal convictions should be prohibited from being special advisers to Government Ministers?

Sentiment score: 0.12