Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 19:

In page 7, lines 15 and 16, to delete “apart from the individual’s principal private residence”.

This is an issue I have raised with the Minister. It proposes to exclude an individual's principal private residence in respect of lobbying activities. We have had a discussion on this, but I am a bit like a dog with a bone on this particular issue, not least because we have had such a history of corrupt and corrupting actions in respect of planning in this jurisdiction. We are all too familiar with that. I want to see if I can get somewhere with this.

The issue at stake in the Bill is communication with a designated public official, which is defined in the Bill. The communication has to be in respect of relevant matters, which are, again, defined. Changes in public policy laws, regulations, awards of grants, loans, contracts, licences or other authorisation involving public funds are defined in section 5. Given that the Minister has two sets of definitions, qualifications and limitations, I do not see any reason to exclude the principal private residence. It would be most unusual that a person would be in touch with a public official in respect of public policy laws, regulations, awards of grants, etc., in respect of his or her principal private residence, but should it happen it ought to be captured in the Bill. I am at a loss as to why this exemption has been made. The Minister may confound me and give a different explanation as to why he has stuck to this.

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