The Dáil today continued its three-day debate on the findings of the Mahon tribunal report as another member of Fianna Fáil today resigned from the party.
Former councillor Finbarr Hanrahan today formally resigned his membership of the party, a Fianna Fáil spokesman confirmed today. He was the last of six party members that leader Micheál Martin recommended for expulsion following the publication of the planning tribunal report .
The others who have already relinquished their membership following Mr Martin's proposal to the ardcomhairle are former taoiseach Bertie Ahern; former European commissioner Pádraig Flynn; former TD GV Wright; former senator Don Lydon and sitting councillor John Hannon.
Fianna Fáil's national executive still intends to meet on Friday to discuss Mr Martin's intention restructure the party branch in Mr Ahern's former Dublin Central constituency and to transfer the branch’s assets, including the headquarters at St Luke’s, to the party’s general secretary.
Speaking in the Dáil today, Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton has suggested the Government reflect on how it should in future interact with people who have been the subject of adverse findings by tribunals.
The Minister was responding in the Dáil this afternoon to the presence of businessman Denis O’Brien with Taoiseach Enda Kenny in the New York stock exchange recently.
Speaking during the debate on the Mahon tribunal report, Ms Burton said there had been "considerable public and political unease about the fact that Mr O’Brien has continued to pop up at various public events, most recently at the stock exchange".
However, the Taoiseach was invited to attend the event, she said. "The organisers of the event, not the office of the Taoiseach, decided who was on the balcony for the bell ringing ceremony," Ms Burton added.
Earlier Minister of State for European Affairs, Lucinda Creighton, also criticised contact between the Government and Mr O’Brien saying she was uncomfortable with the businessman’s attendance at the Global Irish Economic Forum last October.
Asked if Mr O’Brien would be invited again to such an event, Ms Creighton said: “I would certainly hope not.”
Chairman of the Fine Gael parliamentary party Charlie Flanagan called for the establishment of an independent
commission against corruption. He suggested it could also be chaired tribunal chairman Judge Alan Mahon
or another “more qualified independent chairman who would act as watchdog
against corrupt practices”.
It would have an investigation unit working with agencies including the
Criminal Assets Bureau; a legal unit linked to the parliamentary oversight
committee; an education and research unit; and a corporate and commercial
services unit linked to the office of corporate enforcement.
Minister for Justice Alan Shatter said it was “frankly treasonous to use
public office for corrupt gain”. He warned: “No one who has been involved
in corrupt practices should think that the publication of the tribunal’s
report is an end to the matter”.
Mr Shatter said he was determined to do everything he could to ensure
laws were in place which defended the public and public representatives
from corrupt practices.
He said the tribunal report recommended amending the Public Bodies
Corrupt Practices Act of 1889 to cover Oireachtas Members. “I propose to
repeal all seven Acts making up the Prevention of Corruption Acts 1889 to
2010 and replace them with a single Act which will apply to all persons”
including TDs and Senators.
He also said the government should “seriously consider the exclusion from
public office of those who accept bribes” as recommended by the tribunal.
Robert Troy (FF, Longford-Westmeath) was just six years-old when the
Flood tribunal was established 15 years ago. “As a member of Fianna Fail I
am deeply ashamed and embarrassed about the level of my party’s
involvement,” he said. He told the House he would like to believe the use of power for
illegitimate gains is well and truly from an era of the past.