So 60% of politicians think corruption is endemic in Irish public life?

LostinBlanch

I haven't seen anyone mention this yet. I wonder how many FF TDs took part in this? Seeing as they're largely responsible for the mess we're in. Did Bertie answer?
Or Greens for that matter?

More than 60pc of TDs and senators believe corruption continues to corrode the Irish body politic, despite long-running efforts to grind out the truth

Corruption is continuing in the corridors of power, according to a confidential questionnaire of politicians.

Six out of 10 TDs and senators believe graft and payola, is alive and well, despite more than a decade of parallel tribunals into various scandals, according to new figures compiled by the University of Delaware.

More than a quarter (25.3pc) of Oireachtas members surveyed believed that "a few" of their fellow politicians are involved in corruption, according to the survey.

And 37.3pc felt that a greater number than a few, being "some", were cynically in politics for what they could get out of it for themselves.

Taken together, the figure indicates that 62.6pc believe corruption continues to corrode the Irish body politic, despite long-running efforts to grind out the truth about alleged past episodes of bribery and backstairs deals.

The finding came in a broad-ranging survey by the University of Delaware of Irish legislators, a sample of among six European nations that included the Czech Republic, Netherlands, Belgium, Hungary and Slovakia.

There was a 23pc response rate -- or 50 members of the Oireachtas -- out of 225 TDs and senators. Just 28.2pc thought "almost none" were involved in corruption, while a remaining 9.2pc declined to indicate what they thought.

Yesterday, Labour TD Joanna Tuffy confirmed she was one of the legislators that returned the questionnaire.

Honest

"I thought a few politicians in our country were involved in corruption. I generally would believe that most politicians are honest."

She said obvious corruption had emerged, but there had been no major changes in the law as a result.

"I would be inclined to think there is still some corruption going on even though I would hope there is not," she said.

Speaking as one of the Oireachtas respondents, without knowing the identities of others, she said: "The majority of us replied that either 'a few' or 'some' were currently engaged in corruption.

"There would need to be some action on whatever recommendations come out of the tribunals for me to feel more confident that very few, if any, politicians would be involved in corruption in the future, going on our past history."

Ms Tuffy added: "We need to reform the planning laws so that people can't make a fortune when politicians rezone land for development in future. Because that didn't just give rise to corruption in the past, it has also wrecked our economy."

Other countries reported lower levels of perceived possible corruption. On a more positive note, 57pc of Irish legislators believe that the treatment of people by public officials probably does not depend on who they know.

mike65

60% of corruption is endemic to politicians?

jonsnow

Until our politicians are punished for their corrupt behaviour by the courts (not the useless tribunals) and at the ballot box they will not change their behaviour.

marco_polo

Most misleading thread title of the Day?

More than a quarter (25.3pc) of Oireachtas members surveyed believed that "a few" of their fellow politicians are involved in corruption, according to the survey.

And 37.3pc felt that a greater number than a few, being "some", were cynically in politics for what they could get out of it for themselves.

It would be unprecedented in the history of humanity if there were not still some corrupt politicians around, not quire the same as 'endemic in Irish public life'.

salesjobs.ie

What Golden Circle?
I am ashamed to admit that I have suggested, over the years, that no one is ever convicted or charged with any sort of white-collar fraud in Ireland due to cronyism and corruption.
How could I have been so cynical as to suggest that there is an old boys network of people at the top of the financial industry in this small country of ours?
How wrong I was, I can only blame an inadvertent overdose of an over-the-counter cough medicine that I was taking at the time...
And as for the news below? I must be imagining it....

Does anyone recall the small matter of the €8 billion in deposits that were... erm ...let's call it "exchanged" (for perfectly fair and reasonable purposes, naturally) between Irish Life and Permanent and Anglo Irish Bank?

Now some people, some misguided people, thought that there might have been something fishy about the exchange. It was even suggested that there might have been an element of fraud about it.

Luckily, we have regulatory bodies here that swiftly and impartially investigate these matters. The Chartered Accountancy Regulatory Body (CARP) is doing so with the €8 billion "exchange".

Cynics have pointed out that the chairman of the Chartered Accountancy Regulatory Body (Liam O'Reilly, former Financial Regulator) shares a name with a director of Irish Life and Permanent (Liam O'Reilly, former Financial Regulator).

This is entirely a coincidence.

Luckily I am reassured by the fact that a spokesman for the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ireland, the body that oversees CARP, said that in their opinion there was no conflict of interest. So that's all right then.


It is also a coincidence that former Financial Regulator, Liam O’Reilly, was the Financial Regulator who failed to act against AIB overcharging in the years leading up to 2001.

I wonder are any of these Liam O'Reilly's related to the Liam O'Reilly (former Financial Regulator) who is a director of of Merrill Lynch International Bank, a Dublin-registered firm that is subject to an investigation into a potentially huge irregularity in the books?


Something about a trader who was suspended after accumulating more than £284m in undisclosed losses.


And of course Merrill Lynch is also advising the Government on how to manage the financial crisis.

Keep moving, nothing to see here.

And remember, we are in good hands.


G'Luck

M

salesjobs.ie

Mic,

How could you be so cynical. After all I am sure your cynical view of politicians will be shown to be plain wrong when the Dial House committee on expenses examines the John O Donoghue affair. He will be severely dealt with by the chairman of that august body. The chairman’s name? John O Donoghue An Ceann Comhairle.

Jesus wept

Ed

mikemac

Why is it that in the UK that politicians will resign if there is a scandel. In fact some resign twice like Mandelson and Blunkett and then work their way back.

But in Ireland nobody resigns, I'm struggling to think of a minister who resigned over a scandal. Bobby Molloy of the PD's?