Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Deputy is right that my aim in developing the Bill was to preserve normal and proper communications and interaction between individuals, as citizens, and their local representatives. I want to ensure, in so far as possible, that there will be no impact on these exchanges as a result of this legislation. Therefore, the private affairs of individuals have been specifically excluded from the registration arrangements set out in the Bill. I refer to private, normal interaction between any of the designated persons. While they might be principal officers in the Department, their normal day-to-day family commitments would not be captured. I regard matters relating to one's principal private residence as being in this category. As the Deputy said, one could be applying for a modification grant for one's incapacitated child. Such activity should not be regarded as lobbying. We should not hobble everybody with a public role and prevent them from conducting some private business that relates exclusively to their private domain and does not affect public policy.