Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have not personally been lobbied on this matter but I cannot answer for every Minister in the entire Civil Service. I do not think the Deputy expects me to do so; his question is more of a rhetorical one. I wish to state very clearly that lobbying is not a crime. It is part of what happens in a democracy. Politicians, Ministers, and those in Opposition are constantly lobbied by all sorts of interest groups, including commercial interest groups, trade unions and NGOs. We listen to what they have to say and then we come to a decision as to what we believe is in the best interest of the public. That is how democracy works and how it should work. The lobbying legislation which we and the Labour Party introduced as part of the previous Government ensures transparency and that such bodies must declare any lobbying they carry out. It would be entirely normal for lobbying to have taken place on this matter. In a democracy, one would expect commercial interests to lobby the Government just as unions, NGOs, and individual members of the public do. Governments can then come to a decision as to what they believe is in the best interest of the public.

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