IRELAND CONTINUES to have low levels of corruption, according to a new survey showing Somalia is the most corrupt country in the world.
However, corruption is far more serious here than the index would lead the casual observer to believe, John Devitt, chief executive of Transparency International Ireland said.
The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), compiled by Transparency International, finds Ireland’s score remains unchanged at eight out of 10. This leaves Ireland ranked at 14th least corrupt in the table of 178 countries.
The index scores countries on a scale of zero to 10, with zero indicating high levels of corruption. The 2010 index shows that nearly three-quarters of the countries had a score below five.
The countries perceived to be the world’s least corrupt are Denmark, New Zealand and Singapore on a joint score of 9.3. While Ireland ranked well, Mr Devitt said there were “worrying signs” that corruption was not being addressed by the Government, business and non-profit groups.
“Unfortunately, there have been many instances where the fragile nature of Ireland’s anti-corruption standards have been exposed but have gone relatively unnoticed, both at home and abroad,” Mr Devitt said.
He said the survey gives a false sense of comfort, as it does not take into account the role of money in politics. “We are most likely in a far worse position on the index, as we haven’t done enough to curb the role of cash in politics.”
The survey welcomed the recent anti-corruption investigations by the Criminal Assets Bureau, but criticised the Government’s approach to whistleblower protection, which only protects employees in selected categories.
It also called on the Irish Red Cross to set a good example for other non-profit organisations by commissioning an independent review of claims made by the head of its international department, Noel Wardick, about the body.
Mr Wardick publicly aired his concerns about financial management and governance at the charity via a blog, and has been suspended since August of this year.
The index shows Burma and Afghanistan in joint second place for corruption, followed by Iraq.
