Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

This Government has committed itself to the introduction of legislation to provide for the registration of lobbyists. We saw from the reports of the Mahon and the Moriarty tribunals what happens when we have an unregulated lobbying regime, as we have had. The public is entitled to know who is lobbying on behalf of vested interests of whatever kind and who is talking to Government and Government agencies.

It is with that in mind that the Government has committed itself to the introduction of legislation on the registration of lobbyists. That legislation is being brought forward by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and I will check for the Deputy as to when it is expected to be published.

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