What have a Government minister, a professional cyclist, a university lecturer and an accountant got to say about the Ethics debate in business and public office? Next Tuesday 13th December 2011 Chartered Accountants Ireland will host a debate entitled ‘Ethics Today – Hard Calls / Right Decisions’ at its Pearse St Dublin HQ. Speakers will include Brendan Howlin TD, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform; Paul Kimmage, journalist, author and former professional cyclist; Patricia Barker, lecturer in Ethics in DCU; Tom O’Higgins, a respected commentator on corporate governance; and John Hannaway, president of Chartered Accountants Ireland.
The free event for Chartered Accountants will consider whether there is indeed an ethical deficit in public and business life today in Ireland, and practical ways to address this deficit. After an initial address by Minister Howlin, Prof. Pat Barker will speak on the topic of ‘Regulation Ethics Vs Integrity Ethics’:
- While governments and professional bodies respond to ethical failures with stronger regulation, codes, oversight bodies and laws, our attention as individuals can shift to compliance with regulation, instead of focusing on our own behaviour and analysing our personal influences.
- Simplistic answers like “If it smells, don’t touch it” or “If you wouldn’t like your mother to know about what you are doing – don’t do it”, do not help.
- The answer for good leaders is not to hide behind compliance with external rules and regulations. You must assess your own thinking and your own stance. Questions of professional ethics cannot be resolved by rules and codes. Dialogue and debate are essential.
Journalist Paul Kimmage, sometimes described as cycling’s whistleblower, is author of the seminal ‘Rough Ride’ a 1990 award-winning expose of doping in the sport. Paul’s presentation on Tuesday will draw extensively on his experience, both in cycling and his subsequent journalistic stories, notably on the Michelle Smith story.
A former partner in PwC, Tom O’Higgins is also a former President of Chartered Accountants Ireland. A specialist in Corporate Governance, he has chaired the Audit Committees at the Houses of the Oireachtas, the Offices of the Attorney General and the Chief State Solicitor, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Department of Education and Science, the Courts Service and at Concern, and is a member of the Audit Committee of DIT.
Chartered Accountants Ireland President, Mr John Hannaway encouraged all chartered accountants to attend. "As Ireland’s oldest and leading accountancy body now numbering over 20,000 professionals, Chartered Accountants Ireland is pleased to host the conference in our new headquarters, Chartered Accountants House. We are particularly pleased to host the event as the central theme is consistent with our key value of integrity, which is at the core of what chartered accountancy is all about”.
More Information:
Date: Tuesday 13th December 2011, 8:30am – 12 noon
Venue: Chartered Accountants House, 47-49 Pearse St, Dublin 2
Price: Free of Charge with 3 hours CPD for Chartered Accountants
To Book: Attendees must pre-register, email CPD with ‘Ethics Today’ in the subject bar. Press should contact Bryan Rankin below if they wish to attend the event.
Reference: Bryan Rankin, Communications & Marketing Manager, Chartered Accountants Ireland T: +353 1 637 7268; M: 087 2047905