Michael McGrath

The general scheme of the Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022 was published yesterday after approval by ministers earlier this week.

The bill will extend the definition of lobbying to bring more business representative bodies and coalitions of business interests, regardless of the number of employees, within the scope of lobbying legislation.

It will also improve the functionality of the Lobbying Register by providing flexibility for new registrants to use the address of where their main activities are conducted.

The bill also includes an anti-avoidance clause and introduces a fine of up to €25,000 and/or a prohibition from lobbying for up to two years for those found to be non-compliant with the Section 22 12-month post-employment cooling off period.

Public expenditure and reform minister Michael McGrath said: “It is my view that the critical drivers of trust are transparency, citizen participation and collaboration with stakeholders. The Lobbying Register has from its inception as a policy proposal, proved to be an outstanding example of best practice in using these drivers to best advantage.

“The extent of lobbying activity is a good measure of engaged citizenry, but it should be open to public scrutiny as part of the desirable checks and balances in a democracy. Currently, almost 2,300 organisations or individuals have registered their lobbying activity and over 63,300 returns are available to view on the Register.

“The legislative proposals detailed in the general scheme will help to strengthen our regulation of lobbying regime even further and ensure it continues to deliver on the objectives we have set for it.”