Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It would be helpful to read into the record the kinds of bodies that are excluded from becoming the registration body under this Bill. It is stated on page 11, In this section— “excluded body” means any of the following: ... a political party, or a body that promotes a political party or candidate; ... a body that promotes a political cause; ... [or] a chamber of commerce." It could be argued that the Construction Industry Federation is a political body. It registers with the Standards in Public Office Commission to lobby and it makes returns to that registration body onlobbying.ieregarding the lobbying it does. It does that very effectively and within the framework of the law, as it should. The Construction Industry Federation is, by any standards, a very effective representative body. I have worked very closely with it over the years during my spell in government when I was responsible for health and safety, for example. I have worked with the CIF on those issues, in partnership with trade union organisations, and I have worked with it to advance, for example, sectoral employment orders to make sure there is a basic flow of decency for construction workers in this country in respect of pay, terms and conditions, pensions and so on. In layperson's terms, it is an organisation that, partly at the very least, advances political causes. It might be described as a chamber of commerce of some kind.

The Minister of State stated, and he is right, that there are a range of checks and balances in the legislation regarding the independence - I use that term advisedly - of any registration body but, in layperson's terms, the CIF is to all intents and purposes primarily a representative body that lobbies in the best interests of the organisations it represents. If the conflicts of interest are not apparent this evening and are not apparent to Ministers in the Department, then I am concerned.

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