Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 43:

In page 8, between lines 38 and 39, to insert the following:"(f) Secretaries General and Assistant Secretaries General;".

This is the first stab at legislation on the registration of lobbyists, and the Minister said he wanted to launch the canoe before we tried to sink it. The definition of "designated public officials" listed in the legislation is very narrow. It includes Ministers, Members of the Dáil, Members of the Seanad, Members of the European Parliament, members of local authorities and special advisers. It is a very worthwhile list, but it is not sufficient, because most things are decided, and much of the preparatory work is done, before they get to the Minister. Even at the initial stages of the legislation, we should include Secretaries General, assistant secretaries general, principal officers and assistant principal officers, because they are involved in drafting legislation and meeting various people. Even outside the legislative work of a Department, such as the Estimates, these people have critical roles. The Secretary General is an Accounting Officer. An Accounting Officer of a Department could have a budget of €9 billion or €10 billion but is not included as a designated officer in the first incarnation of the Bill.