Related Topics
- Code of Conduct for Office Holders
- Code of Conduct for Members of Dáil Éireann other than Office Holder
- Code of Conduct for Members of Seanad Éireann other than Office Holders
- Guidelines for Members of Dáil Éireann who are not office holders concerning the steps to be taken by them to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Ethics in Public Office Acts 1995 and 2001
- Guidelines for Members of Seanad Éireann who are not office holders concerning the steps to be taken by them to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Ethics in Public Office Acts 1995 and 2001
Disclosure obligations
Members of the Oireachtas including office holders
Annual statement of registgrable interests
All persons who are Oireachtas members (i.e. T.Ds and Seanadóirí, including office holders) on a registration date (e.g. 31 December) must furnish each year a statement of their own registrable interests to the Standards Commission. The statement must be furnished by 31 January of the following year and must comprehend any period(s) in the year the person was an Oireachtas member. Where no interests exist, a ‘nil’ statement must be furnished. These interests are published in the relevant Register of Members’ Interests.
Forms for Oireachtas members (section 5 of the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995)
Statement of interests for members of Dáil Éireann (en, ga)
Statement of interests for members of Seanad Éireann (en, ga)
Statement of Additional Interests
Office holders (i.e. Ministers of the Government, Ministers of State, the Chairs and Vice-Chairs of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann, and the Attorney General where an Oireachtas member)
Office holders are also required to furnish annually a Statement of Additional Interests (i.e. those interests of which the office holder has actual knowledge of the office holder’s spouse or civil partner, or child of the office holder or a child of a spouse or of a civil partner, that could materially influence the office holder in the performance of his or her official functions). The form for this statement is sent to the office holder by the Minister for Public Expenditure & Reform and must be returned by 31 January of the following year to the Clerk of the Dáil. Where no interests exist, a ‘nil’ statement is requested. These statements are not published.
Ex-office holders
Ex-office holders are also required to furnish a statement of additional interests comprehending any period in a year they were an office holder. This applies even where the ex-office holder in not an Oireachtas member on 31 December.
Form for office holders (section 13 of the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995)
Statement of additional interests form (Word PDF)
Disclosure of a material interest
Oireachtas members
Where an Oireachtas member has actual knowledge that he or she or a connected person has a material interest in proceedings of a House or Committee, and intends to speak in the proceedings, the member must make a declaration of that fact in the House or Committee, either before or during your speech. If the member intends to vote but not speak, the member must make a declaration of the facts in writing to the Clerk of the House or Committee before voting.
Office holders
Where an office holder has actual knowledge that he or she or a connected person, or another office holder or a person connected to another office holder has a material interest of a function of his or her office, the office holder must furnish a statement in writing of the facts and the interest the Taoiseach and to the Standards Commission.