Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Members, viewers and our witnesses. The purpose of today's meeting is to begin our pre-legislative scrutiny of the regulation of lobbying (amendment) Bill 2022. We are joined by representatives of Transparency International Ireland and the Standards in Public Office Commission, SIPO. I welcome Mr. John Devitt, Transparency International Ireland, and Ms Elaine Cassidy, director general of the Office of the Ombudsman, representing SIPO; Ms Aoife Drudy, head of legal, Office of the Ombudsman, representing SIPO; and Mr. Brian McKevitt, assistant principal, ethics and electoral compliance unit, SIPO. Either Mr. Devitt or Ms Cassidy will make some brief opening remarks before a questions-and-answers session.