Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 March 2021
691. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the meetings he has held or correspondence he has had with banks and financial institutions in Ireland since assuming office. [15199/21]
View answerThe Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 provides that the Standards in Public Office Commission, an independent body, is the Registrar of Lobbying. The Act is designed to provide information to the public about who is lobbying whom about what. It also provides for the establishment and maintenance of a register of persons who carry on lobbying activities and for a code of conduct relating to carrying on such activities. Banks and financial institutions as commercial organisations which have more than 10 full time employees must, under the Act, report any engagement with me. Details of any correspondence, contact or meetings with me are published on www.lobbying.ie. In addition, details of my engagements and meetings are published on my Department's website at: www.gov.ie/en/collection/5f6f1-ministers-diaries/#minister-darragh-obriens-diaries.
Owing to the scope of my remit as Minister, I receive representations from a wide range of parties, including public representatives, local and voluntary groups as well as private individuals and organisations. Thus, a detailed search of a significant volume of records would be necessary to identify any correspondence relevant to the Deputy’s question resulting in a disproportionate use of time and resources. However, if the Deputy has a specific issue in mind, he might forward the details to me and I will respond to him directly.
