The Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) (Irish: Coimisiún um Chaighdeáin in Oifigí Poiblí) is an independent body established in December 2001 by the Irish Government under the Standards in Public Office Act 2001.^[1] It replaced the Public Offices Commission which had been established in November 1995 by the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995.^[2]

The commission is the supervisory body for compliance with legislation concerning ethical issues regarding politicians, office holders and civil servants

The commission has been given new responsibility by the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 which introduces a statutory register of lobbying, and rules concerning the practice of lobbying. The purpose of the Act is to provide for a web-based Register of Lobbying to make information available to the public on the identity of those communicating with designated public officials on specific policy, legislative matters or prospective decisions. The Act provides restrictions and conditions on the taking up of certain employments by certain designated officials for a specified period of time where a possible conflict of interest arises. The Act states that the Standards Commission will be the Registrar of Lobbying and will establish an online Register of Lobbying. The Standards Commission will oversee the implementation of the register, monitor compliance, provide guidance and assistance and where necessary investigate and pursue breaches of legal requirements in due course.^[5] The Act was signed into law on Wednesday 11 March 2015.

The focus in the initial period of the implementation of the Act was on guidance and information and ensuring that registrants were familiar with the process of submitting their returns online. Enforcement provisions provided for in Part 4 of the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 (the Act) did not come into effect until 1 January 2017. From 1 January 2017, however, a person who does not register as required by the Act or does not submit a return of their lobbying activities or is late submitting a return of their lobbying activities is subject to the offences and penalties provided for in the Act.

Since the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2001, SIPO has maintained a register of "third parties", defined as "any individual or group, other than a registered political party or election candidate, who or which accepts, in a particular calendar year, a donation for political purposes exceeding the value of €100".^[6] Auditing of "third party" activities addresses the minor issue of outside endorsements of election candidates and the major issue of interest groups and civil society organisations which lobby during referendum campaigns. SIPO said in a 2003 report:^[7]

it is not the intention of the Standards Commission to pursue each individual and group involved in every type of campaign where the activities could be covered by the definition of political purposes. Such individuals or groups will, however, be contacted by the Standards Commission for clarification of their position if a complaint, or other information, is received about their failure to register.

After SIPO wrote to some groups which advocated against the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013, Catherine Murphy complained that SIPO had no power to enforce registration.^[8] SIPO noted in a 2008 report that 'In practice, the vast majority of third parties have registered with the Standards Commission in relation to a particular campaign and their "political" activity has not extended beyond that campaign.'^[9] Whether a given a donation is for "political purposes" may be controversial. In 2018 Amnesty International Ireland was ordered to return a 2015 donation from the Open Society Foundations on the grounds that contravened the prohibition on foreign donorations because it was political, being related to liberalising Ireland's abortion laws.^[10]

There are six members of the Standards Commission. The chairperson is a judge, or a former judge, of the Supreme Court or the High Court, and is appointed by the President of Ireland on the advice of the Irish Government following resolutions passed by each House of the Oireachtas recommending the appointment. There are four ex officio members: the Comptroller and Auditor General, the Ombudsman, the Clerk of Dáil Éireann and the Clerk of Seanad Éireann. The sixth member is a former member of one of the Houses of the Oireachtas, and is appointed by the Irish Government following approval by each House of the Oireachtas.

The Chairperson of the Standards Commission is ex officio member (Commissioner) of the Commission for Public Service Appointments.^[11]

• Good governance
• Ethics