Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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228. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the planned changes regarding SIPO rules and regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41443/21]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, this Government made a commitment in the 2020 Programme for Government to “reform and consolidate the Ethics in Public Office legislation”, which is the statutory basis for the operations of the Standards in Public Office - SIPO. 

To progress this commitment, the Government has recently agreed to a review of the Ethics Acts which my Department will undertake and which will inform legislative proposals for reform that I intend to bring forward next year. I expect this review to be finalised by end 2021.

In addition, my Department recently concluded an extensive review of the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015, which is also administered by SIPO. In July, the Government agreed to the preparation of a General Scheme to amend the Act. The amendments to the Act will build on the existing strong legislative foundation and further strengthen Ireland’s lobbying laws. In particular, the purpose of the amendments will be to:

- Improve the operation and functionality of the Lobbying Register;

- Strengthen the existing legislation and its enforcement;

- Make failure to comply with the post-term employment restrictions set out in section 22 of the Act a relevant contravention and offence under the Act.

Work on drafting this General Scheme has commenced in my Department and it is my intention to bring a finalised General Scheme to Government over the coming months.