Background
The Programme for Government contains a commitment to introduce a statutory register of lobbyists, and rules concerning the practice of lobbying.
The Public Service Reform Programme launched by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform on 17 November 2011 contains a commitment to prepare legislation to meet this objective in 2012.
Context
The Government Reform Unit in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has commenced a review of the international approaches to the regulation of lobbyists to help inform the design of national proposals to meet the commitment contained in the Programme for Government and the Public Service Reform Plan.
Consultation Process
In order to further inform the Department’s work, submissions are invited from interested parties on key issues relating to options for the design, structure and implementation of an effective regulatory system for lobbying inIreland.
This consultation process is based on the agreed OECD Principles for Transparency and Integrity in Lobbying which was the subject of a Recommendation by the OECD Council in February 2010.
The main issues in respect of which information and views are requested are identified in a number of questions related to each of the OECD Principles available here.
Next Steps
Submissions should be forwarded to lobbying@per.gov.ie as soon as possible and no later than by 29 February 2012.
It should be noted that submissions received and reports of any meetings undertaken by the Department with any external parties in response to this request may be published on the Department’s website and will be subject to Freedom of Information requirements.
Note:
Useful public information on the regulation of lobbying internationally can be found at, for example:-
www.oecd.org/gov/ethics/lobbying
