Practically on the very day it emerged that Kerry FF deputy and PAC member Denis Foley had an Ansbacher account, the Civil Service and Local Appointments Commission was advertising the new position of parliamentary legal adviser for the Houses of the Oireachtas.
The lawyer will give legal advice on the running of the houses and their committees, particularly on the services administered by the Ceann Comhairle of the Dail and the Cathaoirleach of the Seanad. The appointed person, who, the way things are going will be run off their feet, will be paid £42,000. However, the legal eagle will not be available to individual members except through committees. The new post is designed to allow the Oireachtas get advice independent from that given by the Attorney General to the Government.
Many members are already in receipt of private legal advice to ensure they fulfil honestly and adequately the now mandatory standards declarations. It's an area of work which has mushroomed in the age of tribunals and many deputies are unsure of their ground - e.g. when is a spouse's business interest declarable, and when is a £500-plus gift from a second cousin a family matter or a bribe?
Until recently, they were unbothered by such matters. The Electoral Act demands declarations of all monies, gifts, services or donations of a political nature over the value of £500; and 241 forms from TDs, senators and MEPs covering 1999 were with the Public Offices Commission by last Monday. They will be published later this month. Political parties must have their accounts in by the end of March.
Under the Ethics in Public Offices Act, politicians, as well as directors and senior executives of more than 100 State companies and top civil servants must declare their outside interests including businesses, shares, property and additional employment by March 1st. This register will be released in April. A new Standards in Public Office Act will be published in May and will have an even broader remit.
In addition to all this, Fianna Fail is in the lengthy process of drawing up its own code of conduct. The other parties maintain they are so clean they have no need for such a code, but all believe the whole process should be amalgamated.