Susan O'Keeffe (Labour)

The registration of lobbyists Bill will be introduced. All Members on this side of the House will push for that but I do not believe we will need to push it hard as it will come forward. The essence of the Bill is to continue to support free and open access to Government but to it in a way which is properly scrutinised and where there is accountability. The essence of Senator Crown's Bill was is in some way to make people accountable, but unfortunately in so doing it would appear to give us the right to do things we have no right to do currently and we would not wish to have that right.

I question the suggestion by Fianna Fáil that the Bill should be allowed to go to Committee Stage. As my colleague, Senator Bradford, said, first I do not know how one would amend the Bill. It would require such amendment as to reach a point at which it would be unrecognisable. To allow it to go to Committee Stage perhaps would give rise to the suggestion that somewhere in this House we in some way agree with the idea that we would be allowed in some way, shape or form to make representations to the Judiciary, the DPP or the Garda. That is not the case. We do not wish to do that. Therefore, that is why, in essence, we must oppose the Bill even though we could not be more welcoming of the spirit behind it. I hate to oppose anything that appears to remove some lack of transparency. As the Minister indicated clearly, while that may not the intention of the Bill it is the effect of it. While we look forward to the introduction of a Bill for the registration of lobbyists it is not the Government's intention to give ourselves as parliamentarians any additional powers of influence, particularly not the sort of powers which are not legal.

Senator Crown has spoken about the many people over the years both at home and abroad in powerful positions who sought to influence decisions and outcomes. Many would say that was completely wrong. They were wrong and they remain wrong but to try to correct it with this Bill will not assist in any way the correction of those wrongs or any future wrongs.

I thank Senator Crown for allowing us the chance to remind the Government and ourselves of the importance of the commitment we made in the programme for Government of the need for the registration of lobbyists and the continuation of anything that will encourage that pane of glass approach to Government, such as freedom of information legislation. On this day, unfortunately, we will have to oppose the Bill.