FF concerned over lobby rules after banks fail to register Noonan talks

Concerns have been raised about the effectiveness of the lobbying register because of the failure of banks to declare in their returns that they met the Minister for Finance.

Fianna Fáil public expenditure and reform spokesman Dara Calleary suggested that as there was no enforcement of the Regulation of Lobbying Act "people are not afraid of it".

He raised the issue in the Dáil as he pointed out that Minister for Finance Michael Noonan had meetings last year with the banks on variable mortgage rates.

“Two of the banks he met declared them as part of their lobbying returns but two others did not,” he said.

“Even at that level there seems to be confusion over the obligations of the Act”.

But Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe said a "deliberate decision" had been made not to commence the enforcement provisions "to allay any concerns that stakeholders may have had about inadvertent non-compliance with the Act and to allow those lobbying a period of time to become familiar with their legal obligations and the registration system".

High levels of compliance

He intended to commence enforcement provisions early next year, “given the success of the system and the high levels of compliance”.

The Minister will start a review of the Act in September and aims to finalise it by February 2017. He said they built in a review period to deal with the kind of issues Mr Calleary referred to.

The legislation established a register of persons who carry on lobbying activities and requires returns to be filed every six months, detailing those activities and with which public representatives. The Act also imposes restrictions on involvement in lobbying by certain former designated public officials.

Deadlines

Mr Donohoe pointed out that more than 1,300 organisations and individuals had registered and almost 4,500 returns were submitted in the two deadlines since September 2015.

He believed “communications between the political systems, public service and all sectors of society will be supported and strengthened by this register, leading to better informed policy and decision-making”.

And he said the information on the register offered “unprecedented insight into the role that lobbying plays in contributing to policy and funding discussions and decisions”.

The Minister said the work done by his department and the Standards in Public Office Commission had been effective in “building awareness and understanding” of the legislation and this momentum would be maintained.