Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for not going through all of amendments. The scope of amendments Nos. 2 to 14 is wide in seeking to bring all communications within these bodies within the scope of what constitutes lobbying activities in the definition. This is a much broader approach than applies to other public bodies within the scope of the Bill. I understand why the Senator is speaking on this, which is to ensure the framework of the Bill is as comprehensive as possible. This is what I want to achieve.

I assure the Senator that it is possible, under section 6(1)(f) and (g), to prescribe public servants or other public officeholders or a description of persons as designated officeholders for the purposes of this Bill. Persons within the categories of bodies listed in the amendments can be designated as the "lobbied" under either section 1(f) or (g). On North-South implementation bodies established under the British-Irish Agreement, these bodies carry out their functions on an all-island basis and are responsible to the Ministers in both jurisdictions. Consultation of a different nature would be required to embrace them and this can be done.

We have a category of people who have been brought within the scope of this legislation immediately. This is the beginning. There will be other categories. There is a general catch-all category under which I intend, over time, to bring other people within the scope of this legislation. We will be speaking about another amendment in a minute. However, for example, I intend within the first six months for principal officers to be brought within the scope of this legislation. There may be other positions which are lesser in terms of rank but more influential, for example, Minister's private secretaries. People in these positions may have more access to influence in lobbying terms but who may not have a particularly high rank in the Civil Service. We will debate these issues over time. We will get the structures in place first and then we will broaden it as we see fit thereafter.