Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

An article in The Irish Timesfrom 6 December 2001 by Mr. Colm Keena suggests that the decision made by the then Minister for Finance, Mr. Charlie McCreevy, to reverse a high rate of stamp duty for investors "was done against official advice and after intensive lobbying by interested parties." The briefing note from the researchers to the committee makes the following assertion, "There appears to have been an intense lobbying campaign from property and construction sector interests to remove the curbs on investors." Was Dr. Bacon aware of lobbying or the extent of lobbying by vested interests at that time?