Standards in Public Office Commission

The Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) (Irish: Coimisiún um Chaighdeáin in Oifigí Poiblí) is an independent body established in December 2001 by the Irish Government under the Standards in Public Office Act, 2001. It replaced the Public Offices Commission which was established in November 1995 by the Ethics in Public Office Act, 1995. The Electoral Commission proposed by the outgoing Irish government would have subsumed the electoral (but not the ethics and Standards functions) of SIPO. The Public Standards Bill 2015 proposed to repeal the Ethics in Public Office Act, 1995, establish a new Office of the Public Sector Standards Commissioner and a broadened role in the supervision of public sector standards, including greater powers of enforcement. It was proposed that the new body would take over the ethics functions of SIPO which would then no longer exist. However the future of these initiatives is now uncertain as a result of the 2016 General Election.

The Commission is the supervisory body for compliance with legislation concerning ethical issues regarding politicians, office holders and civil servants

The Commission supervises compliance with legislation limiting donations to political parties in Ireland and election expenditure. This is a broad remit and applies to donations received by sitting Members of both Houses of the Oireachtas and members of the European Parliament representing Irish constituencies. It also applies to individual candidates at elections for Dáil Éireann, Seanad Éireann, the European Parliament and the President of Ireland. The Commission maintains the Register of Corporate Donors and the Register of Third Parties. The Commission makes reports to the Chairman of Dáil Éireann Ceann Comhairle in relation to donations.

The Commission supervises the disclosure of interests by politicians. All members of the Houses of the Oireachtas must provide the Commission with tax clearance certificates. This also applies to the Attorney General and senior State-appointed members of public bodies. The Commission lays down guidelines and gives advice in individual cases. The Commission provides these statements of interests to the Clerk of Dáil Éireann or the Clerk of Seanad Éireann as appropriate, who publish registers of Members’ interests.

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