Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 April 2018
135. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Finance if under the lobbyist register it is expected that calls from lobbyists are recorded; if this is the practice in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17987/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will be aware that the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 provides for the establishment and maintenance of a publicly accessible register of lobbying. Responsibility for the implementation of the Lobbying Act 2015 rests with the Standards in Public Office (Standards Commission). The Standards Commission oversees the implementation of the register, monitors compliance with the Act, provides guidance and assistance and where necessary investigates and pursues breaches of legal requirements.
The Act provides that if a person who falls within the scope of the Act communicates with a Designated Public Official about a ‘relevant matter’, it is lobbying. The Deputy may wish to note that Section 5 of the Act provides that ‘relevant communications’ means communications, whether written or oral, other than those communications which are explicitly exempted by the Act. The Deputy will be aware that it is the lobbyists who are required to make returns to the Standards Commission, details of which are available on www.lobbying.ie.
The Deputy may also wish to note that my Department’s internal ‘Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015’ policy document provides that it is best practice that a minute of meetings with external bodies is recorded and that the Department’s Compliance unit monitors the returns made on the Lobbying Register to ensure that the communication took place, that a record is held in relation to a meeting with a lobbyist, and that the communication was with a Designated Public Official.
