Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I was taken aback by the newspaper headlines. I think it says more about the Prime Minister of Israel than it does about us. We will determine our policy.

I will make the point, as I said in the House last week when some people took umbrage, that the issue of lobbying is one that we need a collective discussion on. Lobbying happens every day of the week. Lobbying happens with amendments to Bills, including lobbyists writing amendments to Bills, writing Bills for people, coming in and using the audiovisual room under the guise of different categories of making statements on various issues. There were lobbyists with Senator Gavan last week who spoke about the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill, masquerading around the House here as if they knew everything about certain issues. Lobbying is happening. That is why we have registered lobbying.