Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2020
Public bill · Private Member · Introduced
It would tighten Ireland’s lobbying rules by bringing more representative bodies and informal business coalitions into scope, and by requiring them to name their members when they register. It would also give the lobbying watchdog more power to step in when registration rules or the code of conduct are ignored, extend the post-office cooling-off period for senior public officials from one year to two, and block attempts to get around the rules. It matters because it aims to make lobbying more transparent and reduce the risk of influence being traded too quickly after public office.
Formal long title
Bill entitled an Act to provide for amendments to the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015, to extend the definition of persons to which the Act applies, to allow the Commission to provide directions on communication, to provide that the Code of Conduct be laid before the Oireachtas; to provide the Commission with further powers to investigate and report on breaches of the Code of Conduct; to extend the cooling-off period to two years, to extend the scope of section 22 of the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 and to make a failure to comply with that section an offence; to ensure that Designated Public Officials are aware of post-employment obligations; to allow the Commission to publish certain details regarding its decisions to waive or reduce the cooling-off; to provide for anti-avoidance clause be added to the list of relevant contraventions, and related matters.
Last updated 14 November 2024
- Mairéad Farrell
- Pearse Doherty Primary
- First StageDáil
- Second StageDáil
- Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2020: Referral to Select Committee Dáil
- Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] Dáil
- Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage [Private Members] Dáil