Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That is good, and I am happy with that. Amendments Nos. 41 to 52 and 68 to 70 are included in this group. At the very end of the legislation there is a list of "bodies that are not public service bodies", as indicated by the heading of the Schedule as proposed by the Minister. There may be good reason for including all of these, including commercial grounds, and I would be happy to go along with that if bodies have a commercial remit or commercial activity might be complicated on behalf of the Irish public as a result of this legislation. It is another list of exclusions from the wonderful lobbying legislation. Under the Schedule, there is a list of bodies that are not public service bodies, which will be excluded. They include "Any body corporate established by Act of Parliament before 6 December 1922 that, upon its establishment, was of a commercial character." The list of bodies that will not be a public body under this legislation continues by including:

2. Bord na gCon.

3. Bord na Móna plc.

4. Córas Iompair Éireann.

5. Coillte Teoranta (being a company formed and registered under the Companies Acts as provided for by section 9 of the Forestry Act 1988).

6. Cork Airport Authority, public limited company.

7. daa, public limited company.

8. EirGrid Plc.

9. Electricity Supply Board.

10. Ervia.

11. A harbour authority within the meaning of the Harbours Acts 1946 to 2005.

12. Horse Racing Ireland.

13. Irish National Stud Company Limited.

14. Irish Aviation Authority.

15. An Post.

16. Raidió Teilifís Éireann.

17. Shannon Airport Authority, public limited company.

18. Teilifís na Gaeilge.

19. Railway Procurement Agency.

20. Voluntary Health Insurance Board.

21. A subsidiary of a body to which this Schedule relates, including a subsidiary of such a subsidiary.

Essentially, any subsidiary or further subsidiary of the organisations listed will also be excluded and not considered public service bodies. That is some list of exclusions. I have picked three just to make a point. The amendments deal with the Irish National Stud Company Limited, An Post and the Voluntary Health Insurance Board. That was to get the topic on the agenda.

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