Misleading a State authority on matters of national importance must be made a criminal offence, according to Galway Labour senator Lorraine Higgins.
Sen Higgins is calling on the Government to introduce such legislation, and follows the revelations from the release of taped conversations of former Anglo Irish Bank executives.
She is proposing that any breaches of such legislation should attract 20 years imprisonment for anyone found guilty.
“Countries like Australia have laws regarding the giving of misleading information dating back to 1900 where a person can be found guilty of an offence if they give false or misleading information to a public authority or an agent of the State,” she said.
The Athenry based senator said such laws are “needed here in the light of recent events”.
