Burke jail sentence is 'entirely appropriate'

Politicians have been giving their reaction to the sentencing for six months in jail of former Fianna Fáil minister Ray Burke for tax offences.

Labour's Ms Joan Burton said she hoped Burke's conviction and sentencing would "mark a watershed in the battle against tax evasion and against illegality by those who hold public office".

She said the custodial sentence was "entirely appropriate," as there was a "greater obligation on elected members of the Oireachtas and particularly so in the case of government ministers."

She also called into question the political judgement of the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, who chose Burke as minister for foreign affairs in June 1997.

Ms Burton said the Taoiseach "attacked" those who raised "entirely legitimate questions" about Burke's activities and claimed "at the very least" the Dáil was entitled to an apology from the Taoiseach.

The Green Party's justice spokesperson, Mr Ciarán Cuffe, welcomed the sentence and said: "Hopefully this will give some clout to the tribunals. No politician should be seen to be above the law and today's judgment is a significant step forward."

He said the Green Party hoped "the ongoing work of the tribunals will shed more light on the murky world of Irish politics over the last 30 years".

Mr Cuffe said reforms of the planning process are still needed to ensure that planning decisions are made "in a clear and transparent manner".

Fine Gael's environment spokesman, Mr Fergus O'Dowd, congratulated the Criminal Assets Bureau on its work on the case.

"This conviction of a former Fianna Fail Minister for Justice and Foreign Affairs confirms the fact that no-one is, or should consider themselves to be, above the laws of the land," he said.

"Hopefully this decision today marks a significant milestone on the road to a greater level of tax compliance, especially from those in positions of privilege.

"What marks this case out for specific comment is that Ray Burke, as a Fianna Fail Minister of many years standing clearly understood that what he was doing was wrong. Ray Burke was a powerful member of a Government that introduced a tax amnesty and must have been aware that he was breaking the law when he submitted false tax declarations to the Revenue Commissioners under this same amnesty."