In a week when relations between politicians and the media have taken a serious turn for the worse, the Independent Senator Joe O'Toole has called on politicians - not an outside commission - to draw up a job description for deputies, senators, ministers, Oireachtas office holders and county councillors which will outline what is and is not acceptable behaviour.
Speaking in the Seanad on Wednesday, he questioned why James McDaid, the late Brian Lenihan, Albert Reynolds, Phil Hogan, Hugh Coveney and Ray Burke all had to resign from government.
"I have rarely seen such confusion as the number of people around this House in the past few weeks who do not know right from wrong because no one ever told them how to do their job. It is about time we had a serious look at this issue and a serious sense of conviction about changing the system."
Politicians differed from others, he said, "in the sense of expectation they draw upon themselves and the total lack of a frame of reference on which to do their job. We had a classic example today. This morning I heard politicians complaining about media coverage, this afternoon I heard members of this house talking about more media coverage."
"We have never understood what is right or wrong for a politician to do. . . It is sickening to hear people calling for heads and threatening to leave government unless a sacrificial lamb or minister or deputy is provided. "