Issued : Saturday 17 April, 2010

At its National Conference the Labour Party has passed a motion requiring all of its elected representatives to publish their expenses on an annual basis on the Labour Party website (www.labour.ie).

In proposing the motion to Conference on behalf of the Bandon Branch, Cllr. Gearóid Buckley said that, ‘As a political movement and the only real alternative to the political cronyism of FF, the elected representatives of the Labour Party have always led by example by being transparent, accountable and open.

‘This motion does not seek to imply that politicians should not be reasonably reimbursed for expenses incurred in the course of their political duties. Instead, it seeks to instil confidence in the political system by ensuring that all expenses claimed are published and accessible to the public. Indeed I fully accept that legitimate expenses are essential if politics is not to become an activity for those who can afford the costs involved.

‘The Labour Party has a proud record in making information available to the public – nobody needs to be reminded of the Freedom of Information Act. If the Labour Party wants to lead this nation and recreate trust with the citizens of Ireland, it must continue to lead by example.

‘Currently the public have little faith in the political system, as they brand all parties and politicians as the same. As our Leader, Deputy Gilmore pointed out sometime ago, we are neither Fianna Fail nor Fine Gael – we are Labour and the ethos and principals that guide our Party and its members are premised on honesty, openness, trust and accountability.

‘In a Republic, trust is a two-way process between citizen and Government. This motion is a vital step in restoring credibility within the political system.