Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Regulation of Lobbying Bill is currently being drafted by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel (OPC). The General Scheme has been referred to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform for pre-legislative scrutiny and the views of the Committee will be taken into account in the drafting process.

The Deputy may wish to note that under the proposals for regulating lobbying activity approved by Government, a group - such as, for example, the one referred to in the Deputy’s question - established on the initiative of a Minister or Department comprising both public servants and external members will be obliged to comply with a Transparency Code which will be published in advance of the commencement of the legislation. The Code is intended to ensure that the work of any such group is carried out in a manner fully consistent with the objectives of the legislation by securing appropriate openness and transparency in relation to the group’s discussions and activities through, for example, publication of agendas and minutes of meetings on a timely basis.

Head (4)(3)(xi) of the General Scheme of the Bill sets out the relevant provision published on my Department’s website .