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SIPO tax probe laid before Oireachtas

The Standards in Public Office Commission has released reports on two probes into non-compliance with the Ethics in Public Office Acts.

Under the Standards in Public Office Act 2001 senior public body appointees are required to show taxation compliance.

The commission probe found two medical consultants had failed to comply with tax compliance provisions.

These were named as Mr Ciaran Brady of Mercy University Hospital, Cork and Dr Bryan Jones of Galway University Hospital.

Copy

The commission has now laid a copy of these reports before the Oireachtas and has provided a copy to the individual and the person’s employing public body. 

Senior office holders in a wide range of public bodies must provide evidence of tax compliance on appointment, and all such persons may be investigated by the commission for non-compliance with the act.  

Where the commission is aware of appointments to senior office, it seeks to establish compliance. If an individual fails to comply or does not engage, the commission launches an investigation.

The commission notes that a number of appointees to senior office may have escaped scrutiny as not all public bodies notify the commission of appointments to public office. 

Adherence

The commission has asked all public bodies to notify them about appointments made but in the absence of a statutory requirement, adherence has been inconsistent.

In its most recent annual report, the commission comments that failure by public bodies to provide the necessary information has the effect of obstructing the effective implementation of the Act.

The investigation reports are available at www.sipo.ie.

The Standards Commission is the independent body charged with oversight of the Ethics in Public Office Acts (1995 and 2001), the Electoral Act 1997 (as amended) and the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015.

SIPO members are

• Justice Daniel O'Keeffe, Chairman,

• Seamus McCarthy, Comptroller and Auditor General;
• Peter Tyndall, Ombudsman,
• Peter Finnegan, Clerk of Dáil Éireann,
• Martin Groves, Clerk of Seanad Éireann,
• Jim O'Keeffe, former TD.