The Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) has published its investigation report into alleged contraventions of the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995 and 2001 and part 15 of the Local Government Act 2001 by Councillor Hugh McElvaney, Monaghan County Council.

The report follows an investigation hearing conducted on 17 September 2018 and 2 December 2019.

Contraventions

The Commission finds against Councillor McElvaney in respect of all four of the alleged contraventions.

In accordance with legal requirements, the Commission has sent copies of its report to Councillor McElvaney, the cathaoirleach and chief executive of Monaghan County Council, and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

The investigation report, together with full details of the Commission’s findings and determinations, is available at www.sipo.ie.

Oversight

SIPO is an independent body responsible for overseeing:

• the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995,
• the Standards in Public Office Act 2001,
• the Electoral Act 1997 (as amended),
• the Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Activities) (Amendment) Act 2014,
• the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015.

The Standards Commission was created by the Standards in Public Office Act 2001.

It has six members and is chaired by a former judge of the High Court.

The current chair is Mr Justice Daniel O’Keeffe. Other members are:

• 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 member of Dáil Éireann.