Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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188. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of senior staff members of his Department or of State bodies under the aegis of his Department who are also on the boards of bodies registered for lobbying purposes under the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015, or on the board of bodies which have had to disclose that they engaged in lobbying State authorities; if it is intended to issue directions as to the appropriateness of such involvement in these bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9064/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I am advised that one senior official in my Department is a member of the board of a registered body for lobbying purposes. OLH is a registered charity, no. 20001827.

I consider that the manner in which Departmental officials on the boards of such bodies conduct themselves is addressed in SIPO’s Codes of Conduct, which can be found in the following document:

www.sipo.ie/acts-and-codes/codes-of-conduct/civil-servants/Civil-Service-Code-of-Standards.pdf

There are six State Bodies under the aegis of my Department. They are:

1. the Adoption Authority of Ireland

2. Tusla (the Child and Family Agency),

3. Oberstown Children Detention Campus,

4. the National Disability Authority

5. the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and

6. the Ombudsman for Children’s Office.

While Gaisce – The President’s Award - is an organisation that is also under the aegis of this department, it is not a State or Semi-State body per se. Gaisce has charitable status and is also a registered Company Limited by Guarantee.

The Ombudsman for Children's Office and the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission are independent offices and provide their own responses to parliamentary questions.

The Child and Family Agency (Tusla) and the National Disability Authority will also respond directly to this question.

Details on the number of senior staff members in the remaining three State Bodies under the aegis of my Department who are also on the boards of bodies registered for lobbying purposes under the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015, or on the board of bodies which have had to disclose that they engaged in lobbying State authorities, are as follows.