Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I think we have rehearsed these issues in previous amendments. I do not want to reverse the position. The structure of the Bill is that the lobbyist is required to register. Once we see on the register that somebody has been lobbying, it is a signal that we should use the other legislation we have - for example, by using the Freedom of Information Act to find out what happened, who was in attendance and so on. There are other instruments such as parliamentary questions or the procedures of this House that can be used for further inquiry into a meeting. We can get this sort of information by means other than by requiring the detailed publication of a lobbying note. It is a balance between imposing transparency requirements, which is right and proper, and ensuring that communications with the organs of the State continue. I think we have struck the right balance.