Letter to TDs on corruption in Ireland

Re: Motion on Establishment of Anti-Corruption Agency, 8-9/12/2015

Dear representative elected on behalf of the people of the Republic of Ireland^[1],

This week a motion was proposed to the Dáil to set up an independent agency to address corruption in Ireland. The Government proposed amendments to the motion which stripped it of all its substance and intention. The Government’s amendment essentially amounted to keeping the status quo.

The motion as amended passed 72-40. In essence, the original motion is defeated.

I am contacting you because you voted for the amendment. Perhaps the party whip was enforced? Or perhaps you personally supported the amendments? I don’t know. I only know how you voted on the motion from the public record on oireachtas.ie.

At a time when the spirit of the country is being torn apart with revelation upon revelation of corruption and shady deals, the Government stands in front of the country and states that existing legislation addresses the concerns and everything is ok.

No! Everything is not ok!

The country is rife with corruption. Ask anyone on the street if they feel everything is ok? Ask them if they feel your voting actions are ok.

There is no accountability nor are there any consequences.

I am not pointing an accusing finger at anyone in the Dáil but I do wonder about those who take exception to the idea of establishing an independent anti-corruption agency. It really makes me wonder!

In my eyes, and in the eyes of many people, your voting actions are not representative of your electorate.

This is simply not acceptable.

I await your knock on my door come election time. Do not expect biscuits when I offer you some tea.

Yours sincerely,

Daithí Ó’Gliasáin

Notes

[1] This was an email sent to the following members of Dáil Éireann:

Bannon, James – james.bannon@oireachtas.ie
Barry, Tom – tom.barry@oireachtas.ie
Breen, Pat – pat.breen@oireachtas.ie
Bruton, Richard – richard.bruton@oireachtas.ie
Butler, Ray – ray.butler@oireachtas.ie
Buttimer, Jerry – jerry.buttimer@oireachtas.ie
Byrne, Catherine – catherine.byrne@oireachtas.ie
Byrne, Eric – eric.byrne@oireachtas.ie
Carey, Joe – joe.carey@oireachtas.ie
Coffey, Paudie – paudie.coffey@oireachtas.ie
Collins, Áine – aine.collins@oireachtas.ie
Conaghan, Michael – michael.conaghan@oireachtas.ie
Connaughton, Paul – paulj.connaughton@oireachtas.ie
Coonan, Noel – noel.coonan@oireachtas.ie
Corcoran-Kennedy, Marcella – marcella.corcorankennedy@oireachtas.ie
Creed, Michael – michael.creed@oireachtas.ie
Daly, Jim – jim.daly@oireachtas.ie
Deenihan, Jimmy – jimmy.deenihan@oireachtas.ie
Deering, Pat – pat.deering@oireachtas.ie
Doherty, Regina – regina.doherty@oireachtas.ie
Dowds, Robert – robert.dowds@oireachtas.ie
Doyle, Andrew – andrew.doyle@oireachtas.ie
Durkan, Bernard – bernard.durkan@oireachtas.ie
Farrell, Alan – alan.farrell@oireachtas.ie
Feighan, Frank – frank.feighan@oireachtas.ie
Fitzgerald, Frances – frances.fitzgerald@oireachtas.ie
Fitzpatrick, Peter – peterm.fitzpatrick@oireachtas.ie
Flanagan, Charles – charles.flanagan@oireachtas.ie
Harrington, Noel – noel.harrington@oireachtas.ie
Harris, Simon – simon.harris@oireachtas.ie
Hayes, Tom – tom.hayes@oireachtas.ie
Heydon, Martin – martin.heydon@oireachtas.ie
Howlin, Brendan – brendan.howlin@oireachtas.ie
Humphreys, Heather – heather.humphreys@oireachtas.ie
Humphreys, Kevin – kevin.humphreys@oireachtas.ie
Keating, Derek – derek.keating@oireachtas.ie
Kyne, Seán – sean.kyne@oireachtas.ie
Lawlor, Anthony – anthony.lawlor@oireachtas.ie
Lyons, John – john.lyons@oireachtas.ie
McCarthy, Michael – michael.mccarthy@oireachtas.ie
McEntee, Helen – helen.mcentee@oireachtas.ie
McFadden, Gabrielle – gabrielle.mcfadden@oireachtas.ie
McGinley, Dinny – dinny.mcginley@oireachtas.ie
McHugh, Joe – joe.mchugh@oireachtas.ie
McLoughlin, Tony – tony.mcloughlin@oireachtas.ie
Mitchell, Olivia – olivia.mitchell@oireachtas.ie
Mitchell-O’Connor, Mary – mary.mitchelloconnor@oireachtas.ie
Mulherin, Michelle – michelle.mulherin@oireachtas.ie
Murphy, Dara – dara.murphy@oireachtas.ie
Murphy, Eoghan – eoghan.murphy@oireachtas.ie
Neville, Dan – dan.neville@oireachtas.ie
Nolan, Derek – derek.nolan@oireachtas.ie
Noonan, Michael – michael.noonan@oireachtas.ie
O’Donovan, Patrick – patrick.odonovan@oireachtas.ie
O’Dowd, Fergus – fergus.odowd@oireachtas.ie
O’Reilly, Joe – joe.oreilly@oireachtas.ie
O’Sullivan, Jan – jan.osullivan@oireachtas.ie
Perry, John – john.perry@oireachtas.ie
Phelan, Ann – ann.phelan@oireachtas.ie
Phelan, John Paul – johnpaul.phelan@oireachtas.ie
Rabbitte, Pat – pat.rabbitte@oireachtas.ie
Ring, Michael – michael.ring@oireachtas.ie
Ryan, Brendan – brendan.ryan@oireachtas.ie
Shatter, Alan – alan.shatter@oireachtas.ie
Spring, Arthur – arthur.spring@oireachtas.ie
Stagg, Emmet – emmet.stagg@oireachtas.ie
Stanton, David – david.stanton@oireachtas.ie
Twomey, Liam – liam.twomey@oireachtas.ie
Varadkar, Leo – leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie
Wall, Jack – jack.wall@oireachtas.ie
Walsh, Brian – brian.walsh@oireachtas.ie
White, Alex – alex.white@oireachtas.ie