A call has been made for the Dail and Seanad to introduce a constitutional amendment allowing for the expulsion of any TD or senator found to have acted criminally or corruptly.
Senator Joe O'Toole, president of the ICTU, said last night it was "past time" for the Oireachtas to take action. "The image of Irish politics as being corrupt and dishonest is being reinforced by the emergence of more and more evidence of graft and mendacity from the tribunals in Dublin Castle."
He was speaking at the Humbert International School, which was opened last night by the Minister of State for Health, Dr Tom Moffatt. The theme of the 14th summer school is "Democracy in change - who counts?"
"We have a duty to take control and to restore trust and confidence in the political process," Senator O'Toole said. "If it is left to non-politicians to come in and tell us how to clean up the system then we will forever be on the defensive."
It was, he said, "an incongruous incompatibility that whereas members of the Dail or Seanad can lose their seats by reason of becoming bankrupt, they are safe from any significant punitive action even after being found guilty of bribery, corruption or worse".
The Independent senator called for the creation of a European senate in which each EU state would have two members elected by the citizens of each state. Power would be transferred from the unelected commission to the senate.
Five Government ministers, two bishops, three political party leaders, academics, journalists and analysts will address the school's 250 participants.
