Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
2381. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number and names of the groups he met each month to date in 2018 that fall under the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33716/18]
View answerThe Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 is designed to provide a range of information to the public about lobbying activities, including details of who is engaged in lobbying and the officials being lobbied.
The Act seeks to make the process of lobbying more transparent and establishes that it is a matter for the organisations concerned to determine if they fall under the Act and to submit returns on a regular basis as to who they met. Designated Public Officials are not subject to rules regarding the registration and reporting of lobbying.
The Act also established a publicly accessible register of lobbying that contains details of all submissions by registered lobbying groups, which is user-friendly and searchable and can be accessed at www.lobbying.ie.
In addition, my Ministerial Diary is available and updated quarterly on my Department's website at www.drcd.gov.ie.
