Anti-corruption group launches Ireland’s first corruption news service

Transparency International Ireland (TI) has launched Ireland’s first and only free corruption news and analysis service.

A quarterly journal and newsletter titled TIQ Ireland will be delivered by email and will include a round-up of news headlines from Ireland. It will also offer analysis of reforms and on the costs and causes of corruption worldwide.

The first issue of TIQ Ireland features a section on Garda reform with Minister for Justice Michael McDowell explaining his plans for the new Garda Ombudsman and Inspectorate. There is also criticism of the new measures, together with a brief history of Irish corruption law.

Muiris MacCarthaigh from the Institute of Public Administration meanwhile questions whether state funding of political parties is the best way to stop corruption in political campaign financing.

A brief round-up of headlines includes the revelation that Irish businesses are losing €2.5 billion through economic crime and corruption every year; together with the announcement of a new organisation which will investigate corruption in Ireland, led by journalist Frank Connolly and Justice Feargus Flood.

“The aim of TIQ Ireland is to support and inform debate about corruption and ways to prevent it. Our job is to promote some understanding of what is a pretty complex issue," says acting Chief Executive, John Devitt. "We are not out to expose corruption but instead to keep the issue of public integrity in people’s minds”.

The Irish chapter of TI was launched last December. Its board includes people from the world of business, civil society and politics, including Garret FitzGerald, Tom Arnold of Concern and economist Colm McCarthy. The NGO will not investigate corruption but plans to undertake anti-corruption research and lobby government on legal and institutional reform.

Transparency International is best known for its Corruption Perceptions Index which ranks countries according to how experts and business analysts perceive corruption to be most prevalent. Ireland is currently ranked as “17th least corrupt” out of 146 countries.

TI Ireland is currently funded by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, a UK based philanthropic group which donated €60, 000 for the set up of the Irish chapter in 2004.

TI also publishes a daily list of headlines related to corruption and governance from around the world. Daily Corruption News can be accessed through TI’s website.

Further details on TI Ireland and TIQ Ireland are available at www.transparency.ie.

Media Contact:

John Devitt
Tel: +353 86 1737 487

Email: info@transparency.ie