Michael McGrath

The final report of the review, which was announced in September 2021, is being prepared for publication and expected to be published “shortly”.

Minsters have agreed to prepare a general scheme for legislative reform based on the outcome of the review.

Michael McGrath, the minister for public expenditure and reform, said: “We made a commitment in the 2020 programme for government to ‘reform and consolidate the ethics in public office legislation’. My department’s comprehensive review of the statutory framework was the first step in delivering on this commitment.

“With the outcome of the review to inform it, the department can now start work immediately on a new general scheme for legislation to overhaul and update the various obligations and structures that have been developed to uphold our standards in public life.

“The current statutory framework, which is now over 20 years old, is complex. Separate regimes are in place at national and local level, which can lead to a lack of clarity on what obligations apply. The system is paper-based and inefficient.

“Significantly, recommendations of the Mahon and Moriarty Tribunals to strengthen disclosure requirements and management of conflicts of interest, issued over a decade ago, remain to be addressed. More recent developments nationally and internationally must also be taken account into account.

“In driving forward this reform process, my ultimate goal has been to achieve a fit-for-purpose, easy to understand and user-friendly ethical framework that contributes to the quality and efficacy of our public administration.”