The General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Convention against Corruption in 2003. The objectives of the Convention are to promote measures that will prevent and combat corruption efficiently and effectively and to encourage and enhance international cooperation. The Convention is structured around four fundamental components of tackling corruption on an international scale.
Ireland was one of 94 States who signed the UN Convention against Corruption in Merida, Mexico in 2003. The Government of Ireland is fully committed to its implementation and Irish Government delegations have participated in the Conferences of States Parties. The International community is strengthening its efforts to implement the UN Convention and it entered into force on 14 December 2005. Ireland ratified the Convention in November 2011.
The United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) is a comprehensive anti-corruption convention, covering a wide range of offences, including domestic and foreign bribery, embezzlement, trading in influence, as well as the concealment and laundering of the proceeds of corruption.
As part of the Convention, Member States are also party to its Review Mechanism. The UNCAC Review Mechanism is a peer review process that assists countries to effectively implement the Convention. The review mechanism is comprised of two review cycles. The first review cycle, which commenced in 2010, covered Chapters III and IV of the Convention – Criminalisation and Law Enforcement and International Cooperation. Ireland completed the first cycle in 2014 and the country evaluation report can be accessed here. As part of the evaluation process, an on-site visit by the evaluation team took place in Dublin from 15-19 September 2014. The team met with Public Officials and Representatives from civil society concerned with the areas under review.
The second review cycle, which commenced for Ireland in 2016, covers Chapter II on Preventive Measures and Chapter V on Asset Recovery. Again, as part of the evaluation process, an on-site visit by the Evaluation Team took place in Dublin from 26-28 June 2018. An Executive Summary of the evaluation was published in February 2019. The full country report was published in December 2021.