Revenue should investigate those operating within the public service who have misappropriated goods or services or failed to declare sweeteners given to them in order to sway contracts of supply in businesses favour, according to local senator Lorraine Higgins.
Senator Higgins was reacting to news that HSE employees in a Dublin hospital were suspended from their employment on foot of reports they accepted expensive holidays and gifts from a supplier.
She said that it is now imperative to get tough on unscrupulous individuals operating within our public sector who “are on the take and accepting bungs” for preferment in supply of goods and services.
“It is wrong that people tasked with certain occupations would not only let the agency of the state within which they work down but ultimately the taxpayer by behaving like this. There is a huge cost to everyone because of these illegal actions and we must clean it up”,” she added.
“Accepting sweetners is akin to conspiracy to defraud and perverts the fairness of our tendering regime. This behaviour smells off and it is imperative that the revenue be called in to investigate any benefits in kind or otherwise which were not disclosed in the usual way expected of taxpayers.”
Sen Higgins said that this government must get tough on this kind of illegal activity because the law must apply equally to everyone.
“Whether you are a blue collar or white collar worker out legal system should never discriminate. I have written to Revenue Commissioner, Niall Cody, asking him to intervene to stamp out these illegal practices and conduct the necessary investigations into the matter.
“I have also written to An Tanaiste Joan Burton to ensure that white collar crime will be a top priority of our party in our manifesto for the up-coming election” Senator Higgins concluded.
