core sector communique

TI welcomes Ireland’s ratification of the UN Convention Against Corruption

Dublin, 11 November 2011Transparency International Ireland (TII) welcomes Ireland’s ratification of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. Ratification of the Convention sends out a clear signal of Ireland’s commitment to tackle corruption, at home and abroad, and will go some way to repairing the damage that corruption has caused to Ireland’s international reputation. The Convention creates a framework for co-operation between legal authorities and governments to work together to investigate and prosecute cross-border corruption.

TII CEO John Devitt said the Convention builds on existing international standards to which Ireland is a party and will help address issues that have been inadequately addressed – such as the protection of whistleblowers and the need for public information on corruption. Mr Devitt commented: “While TII welcomes the steps taken by the Government to ratify the Convention, it has to demonstrate its willingness to live up to them.” TII will closely monitor the measures taken to implement the commitments in the Convention and is currently updating its 2009 National Integrity Study reviewing Ireland’s institutions and laws.

News of the ratification precedes the publication of the Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, which will be published on 1 Dec 2011. The Index will highlight the current global perception of public sector corruption in 174 countries including Ireland.