Dáil debates

Wednesday, 1 October 2014

Registration of Lobbying Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed)

 

2:30 pm

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will show it to the Minister. One obvious piece of advice is not to arrange a march to Leinster House on a Saturday. This is a small country and we are all aware of the informal lobbying that takes place, whether in the Galway tent, on golf courses or wherever else.

We can see through the document which was put together by TASC to map the golden circle the relationship, for example, on a small number of boards of a small number of people. While I know it relates to different legislation, it shows just what a small country this is and how difficult it is to deal with this issue because a person is getting to somebody who might have influence, yet it is not regarded as lobbying. It will be quite difficult to curtail it. We also need to look at the other areas and perhaps suggestions will be brought forward on Committee Stage.

With regard to the cooling off period, people the county managers have been excluded, although they are no longer county managers but CEOs. Nonetheless, I most definitely believe they are a group of individuals who should be included. The cooling off period is one year, although the programme for Government stated it would be two. For a planner going to work for An Bord Pleanála, for example, it is two years that the person cannot adjudicate on something that affects the area on which they formerly worked. Two years would be a more reasonable period and is the kind of safeguard we should be putting in place.

We see people who have been incredibly lucky in this country and they seem to be in the know. We are not supposed to mention names, but when one starts to look at mobile phone licences, water meters, owning hospitals and newspapers, it is very difficult not to think of one particular individual who is all-powerful. It is quite incredible how a small number of people have become so wealthy and powerful and that they have not done so without influence and having access to individuals who have power. That in itself shows the need for this legislation; not only that, it shows the need for this legislation to work and for us to make sure it is made to work.

One of the areas in which I would be concerned about it being made to work is staffing levels in and the resources of the Standards in Public Office Commission in order for it to be able to follow up on issues in a meaningful way. Its members have a remit about which they complain from time to time and they are quite open about this in terms of politics. They complain about some of the functions they would like to have in order to be able to do something more substantial but which they cannot do because of the lack of resources. If we are to give them extra responsibility, we have to give them the resources they need to carry out that function. Otherwise, we will be accused of what many Governments and Parliaments in past decades have been accused of, namely, introducing plenty of legislation with not enough enforcement provisions. It is equally important that we have the resources right to ensure enforcement.

The Bill is most definitely welcome and will move in the right direction. It can be strengthened and I hope the Minister will take on board some of the suggestions and amendments that will be brought forward following Second Stage. In the main, I am supportive.

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