Standards in politics

Sir, – Stephen Collins suggests that corruption in political life is likely to be an issue for voters in the run-up to the next general election ("Corruption, however minor, likely to be an election issue", Opinion & Analysis, December 12th).

His suggestion that responsibility for a loss of public confidence in democracy in this country lies with a minority of public representatives who have engaged in corrupt behaviour while in public office is only part of a more complex reality.

It overlooks the role that political parties themselves have played in undermining their own credibility in the eyes of the electorate.

A growing body of evidence, including from public tribunals such as Flood and Mahon, has revealed that the response of political parties to credible allegations of political corruption on the part of some of their elected representatives has been tardy, to say the least.

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In general, political parties have responded to allegations of political wrongdoing on the part of their members only where successful investigative reporting into these issues has been carried out by the media, or where well-placed whistle-blowers have brought these issues to the attention of the public.

Little surprise then that the public tends to be cynical about the willingness of political parties to police themselves effectively, or to be proactive in rooting out the kind of political corruption that eventually taints the entire political system.

As a former elected representative who served on a local authority over a period of eight years, I was struck by the extent to which elected members of different political parties seemed reluctant to express reservations about, or to question the decision-making of, fellow- councillors where planning issues were concerned, even where clear conflicts of interest appeared to apply to those decisions.

If political parties in this country are serious about trying to tackle public perceptions of low standards in political life, they need to move beyond a minimalist approach to complying with ethics legislation, and to actively promote a “culture of integrity” within their own ranks.

Party leaders need to continue to emphasise the extent to which high ethical standards are expected of all party members, particularly those holding elected office. Ethics training needs to be provided to party members on a regular basis. And a culture of zero-tolerance toward political wrongdoing and corruption needs to be tirelessly promoted within political parties. – Yours, etc,

DEIRDRE de BURCA,

Cabinteely, Dublin 18.