Laws and Conventions

The following list is not exhaustive but provides a chronological overview of legislation enacted and international conventions signed by Ireland to curb corruption over the past one hundred years.

Relevant Legislation is available online from the Irish Statute Book website.

Irish Legislation 1889 to 2005

Public Bodies Corruption Practices Act 1889
Prevention of Corruption Acts 1906 and 1916
Ethics in Public Office Acts, 1995 and 2001
The Electoral Acts, 1997 to 2002
Criminal Assets Bureau Act 1996
Freedom of Information Act 1997
Public Service Management Act 1997
Local Government (Declaration of Donations and Expenditure) Act 1997
Committee of the Houses of the Oireachtas (Compellability, Privileges, and Immunities of Witness) Act 1997
Comptroller & Auditor General and Committees of the Houses of the Oireachtas (special provisions) Act 1998
Planning and Development Act 2000
Amendment to the Prevention of Corruption Act 2001
Auditing and Accounting Act 2003
The Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Act 2005
Garda Siochana Act 2005

The following international conventions have either been signed or ratified by the Irish Government.

A Guide to the following Conventions is available from the U4 Resource Centre.

Reports on Ireland's compliance with the OECD and Council of Europe Conventions are available here.

Council of Europe Civil Law Convention on Corruption (signed November 1999; not yet ratified)
Council of Europe Criminal Law Convention on Corruption (ratified October 2003)
EU Convention on the fight against Corruption (ratified March 2003)
OECD Anti-Bribery Convention (ratified September 2003)
UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (signed December 2000; not yet ratified)
UN Convention against Corruption (signed December 2003; not yet ratified)