David Cameron's inept handling of the Panama data leak has inadvertently led to a whole new level of transparency in public life with senior politicians queueing up to reveal their tax returns.
The wider public, who had not exactly been clamouring for full disclosure of such matters, may be left somewhat bemused by this outbreak of openness.
It is certainly unprecedented for a sitting prime minister to divulge financial arrangements that had previously been kept private.
But after being pilloried for his less than straightforward account of links to an offshore trust set up by his father, Mr Cameron had little option but to provide more details about his personal finances.
And while there was no requirement on other party leaders to do the same, a precedent has now been set and it will be difficult for any senior figure to keep their tax returns under wraps.
That said, it is no bad thing that we are seeing greater transparency from those in public office.
What is perhaps more worrying, and harder to defend, is a failure to declare financial interests when required to do so.
An Irish News investigation has found that nearly two-thirds of councillors in Northern Ireland have not declared their land or property holdings while many more have provided information that is vague or incomplete.
This is a significant issue because local government reform means new councils are now responsible for planning decisions.
It is therefore imperative that all councillors detail their interests to ensure public confidence in the planning system.
Declaration of interest forms are there to help ensure elected representatives are not making decisions for their own personal or financial benefit.
It is difficult to understand why any councillor would fail to complete these documents as fully as possible.
The integrity of the planning system can only be maintained if there is absolute transparency and accountability in relation to the decision-making process.
Councillors have a duty to meet both the letter and the spirit of procedures set up for very good reasons.
