The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath TD, obtained Government approval for proposals to amend the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 following an extensive review of the operation of Ireland’s lobbying regime.
The Minister said,”The public want to be reassured that government policy is formulated in an open and transparent way. Clear obligations in relation to lobbying activity are essential in this regard. An effective system is one that tells us who is talking to whom about what, but also encourages public bodies to continue to be open to lobbying approaches from the widest range of interests in society, ensuring that a balance of opinion is sought in developing policy.”
Since 2015, almost 2,200 organisations or individuals have registered their lobbying activity on the Lobbying Register and almost 56,000 returns are available to view. The review by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform examined how to build on this strong foundation including recommendations made by the Standards in Public Office Commission given its experience in implementing the provisions of the Act. The amendments to be set out in the General Scheme will further strengthen Ireland’s lobbying laws, incorporating the learnings of the last six years.