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

I presume this point could come in under a variety of sections. Section 15 is entitled "Evidence of entries on Register". The issue has been raised by some people involved in the industry connected with lobbying. They are concerned about the level of lobbying activity in this building, the national Parliament. In Brussels, there is an open system where lobbyists are registered and badged appropriately when they enter the European Parliament or the European Commission buildings. People fully understand the systems in place. Coming into Leinster House, people get a visitor's badge, but some people in the industry are concerned about informal lobbying within the national Parliament. This may also apply to other Government offices. Is it feasible, practical or right to have a mechanism for people lobbying in the national Parliament? It is an unusual to request specific measures for lobbying in a particular location to be identified, but in the public mind the national Parliament is the Legislature and people would like to think there are slightly more transparent regulations for lobbying in the national Parliament over and above every other opportunity for lobbying.