THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS will later today announce a new policy that includes proposals to establish a new Government Accountability Office and an Anti-Corruption Agency.
The party said that the proposals are aimed at preventing the “waste of taxpayers’ money”, and are part of a range of measures that they hope will restore trust and accountability in politics and public life.
The policy document will launched later this morning. In it, the party details its plans to address the outgoing government’s “wanton waste of public money” by establishing the Government Accountability Office (GAO) within the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
The Anti-Corruption Agency would replace SIPO, which the party described as a “toothless ethic watchdog”. It said that the new agency would also be resourced to take on white collar crime in the corporate world.
“Another significant measure would be the removal of automatic Leinster House access for former members of the Seanad or Dáil if they take up lobbyist roles after leaving politics,” the Social Democrats said.
“The party would also reform the Ministers and Secretaries Act to make senior civil servants accountable for their actions.”
General election candidate Gary Gannon said that the party believe that the proposals they are putting forward can “restore confidence and trust” in Irish political life.
Catherine Murphy, who previously served as vice-chair on the Public Accounts Committee, added that the recent scandals on the overspend of public money on the Dáil bike shelter and security hut show that “inadequate governance and accountability systems are at the heart of cost overruns”.
There has been widespread outrage after it was revealed that the glass-covered shelter was approved by the Office of Public Works at a cost of €336,000.
A breakdown of the costs from the OPW shows €121,194.29 alone was spent on manufacturing, supply and installation.
Then-Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe said at the time that he was “embarrassed” by and found it “regrettable” that the cost of the bike shelter was so high.
The OPW were later brought before the Dáil to explain the cost of both the bike shelter and a security hut that had cost €1.4 million.
Murphy also took aim at the “scandalous runaway costs” of the National Children’s Hospital, which has cost the state a record €2.2 billion to date.
“People need a government they can trust, and taxpayers deserve to know public money is being invested well in quality public services – not squandered on vanity projects or wasted by overpaying for vital infrastructure,” she said.
Yesterday, the party took aim at the outgoing government, saying that it had failed to address any of the issues currently present in Dublin. Candidates raised the issues of dereliction, anti-social behaviour, and inadequate policing in the city centre.
Gary Gannon outlined various proposals to “stop the rot” of Dublin City centre, including ring-fenced funding of €200 million to restore and revive the city; a plan to make ‘above-the-shop’ living a reality; and the use of a streamlined CPO process to buy vacant and derelict sites and buildings.
“For years now, we have heard ministerial commentators in government bemoaning the problems the city is facing – without doing anything to address those issues,” he said.
“We need politicians – and a government – who can do more than describe a problem. We need politicians who will act to do everything within their power to save our capital city.”
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