Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)

We aired some of the issues relating to the question earlier on the policy of Government on privatisation or part-privatisation of State assets. It is important that the Government would pursue an agenda to provide for the creation of a register of lobbyists prior to any privatisation of State assets in the interests of transparency and accountability. We know the high-profile household names, former politicians for example from the Minister's party, the Fine Gael Party and my party, who now engage in the business of lobbying. They are above the radar but there is an army of people engaged in the lobby industry who are not household names who operate below the radar and who will potentially play a major part in lobbying and seeking to influence Government policy in this regard. It is incumbent on the Government to establish a register of lobbyists prior to going any further down the route of privatisation.

See this speech in context