Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Again, we discussed this on Committee Stage, and I have many difficulties with it. First, it seeks to fundamentally alter the architecture of the Bill. The Bill is predicated on a very simple structure, which is to regulate through registration and reporting requirements the responsibility of people who lobby. So the onus is on the lobbyist - the person who is carrying out the lobbying. These amendments reverse that and in a set of circumstances put responsibility on those who are lobbied. That is every Deputy in this House and every member of a local authority who happens to be abroad.

If somebody comes up to a public representative, either in Brussels or anywhere else abroad, and asks about anything, under these provisions, the person would have to say, "Stop. Are you lobbying? Are you a registered lobbyist? Do you comply with the Irish lobbying regulations? If not, I need your details now, so I can report you and register you." It is just not going to happen.

I ask the Deputy to consider explaining to all the Fianna Fáil local authority members that every time anybody comes up to them to talk about anything that affects Irish policy, they will have to stay, "Stop. I need to register you because you are now lobbying me abroad." It is an impossible onus to put on the lobbied person. The Bill is so structured as to put the legal responsibility on those who are carrying out the lobbying to be accountable and registered as lobbyists.

I genuinely do not believe this is the right way to go about it and I will not be accepting the amendments.

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