Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 October 2017
56. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the parties that he or his officials met to discuss issues relevant to budget 2018; the names of all attendees; the issues discussed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44553/17]
View answerThe Deputy will appreciate that preparation for Budget 2018 and the Finance Bill is a complex matter and it would be impractical to provide a definitive list of every single such meeting that may have taken place, or to provide names of all individuals attending meetings of this nature.
However I can advise him that in advance of Budget 2018 I met, as the Minister for Finance usually does, a number of representative organisations. These were the CIF, IBEC, ICMSA, ICTU, IFA and the Community and Voluntary Pillar. The Pillar, as the Deputy will be aware, comprises seventeen separate organisations.
In addition, I met with other organisations including the American Chamber of Commerce, Independent News Media, and the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland. I also met senior Revenue officials.
I am advised that among the many groups met by my officials relating to Budget 2017 and the Finance Bill were:
Alcohol Action Ireland
Britvic
DIGI
Environmental Pillar
Irish Cancer Society
Irish Heart Foundation
Irish Vape Vendors Association
IFA
ICMSA
ICOS
ITMAC
National Off-Licence Association
Paddy Power Betfair
Philip Morris International
SIMI
Toyota
Social Justice Ireland
IBEC
My officials also met with their colleagues in other Government Departments and agencies. These would have included meetings with Revenue, the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, Enterprise Ireland, and the Residential Tenancies Board.
The Deputy should be aware that my officials and I meet with a range of organisations and individuals on a regular basis and it is often the case that the issue of an upcoming Budget or Finance Bill arises.
I would note also that in the run-up to Budget 2018 and the Finance Bill I have received to date more than 400 submissions from a wide variety of groups, representative organisations and individuals. All such submissions received are recorded and distributed as appropriate, so that their content may be considered by the relevant officials in the context of Budget and Finance Bill preparation.
Finally, the Deputy will be aware that the Register of Lobbying is provided for in the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 and makes information available on the identity of those communicating with designated public officials on specific policy, legislative matters or prospective decisions.
