Report calls for regulation of lobbyists

A REPORT commissioned by the Government has recommended that it should establish a register of lobbyists.

It also concludes the register should be controlled by a body such as the ethical watchdog, the Standards in Public Office Commission, to ensure public confidence in the process.

The report by two leading political academics suggests regulating lobbyists would be a “good initial first step in ensuring that the perception of undue influence is not an issue in Ireland”.

Dr Raj Chari of TCD and Dr Gary Murphy of DCU were asked by the Department of the Environment to examine how lobbyists were regulated in other jurisdictions.

The report, a copy of which has been seen by the Irish Examiner, looked at respective regimes in Canada, the US, the EU and Germany.

In their conclusions, Dr Chari and Dr Murphy state any legislation to regulate lobbying should differentiate between professional lobbyists, ordinary citizens and representatives of sectoral interest groups.

They argue that “any regulatory system of lobbyists needs only to regulate for professional lobbyists”.

“This should be explicitly written into legislation,” the report continues.

“The key point is that lobbyists are different to ordinary citizens as they are interacting with government officials and elected representatives and getting paid for doing so. Ordinary citizens do not.”

The coalition’s Programme for Government’ includes a commitment to consider legislation to regulate lobbyists.

In a reply to a recent parliamentary question, Green Party leader and Environment Minister John Gormley promised action in this regard but gave no indication as to when legislation would be drafted.

The two academics examined low, medium and highly regulated systems. While not plumping for any model, they argue that any regime should be transparent, should give citizens confidence and should be kept simple, initially.

The Labour Party introduced a Bill to regulate lobbying as far back as 1999, but it did not progress beyond the second stage. The Government has consistently promised legislation over the past decade.

Both Dr Chari and Dr Murphy note the adverse publicity surrounding lobbying in Ireland — a reference to the activities of the disgraced lobbyist Frank Dunlop.

They state that we live in an age where disenchantment has been a feature of Irish politics and where tribunals of inquiry have opened up all sorts of questions about the influence of lobbyists.

Gerry Davis, chief executive of the representative body the Public Relations Institute of Ireland, yesterday said that the institute would welcome a register.

However, he said that the register should apply not only to professional lobbyists or public affairs consultants but also to those who lobbied on behalf of sectoral interests such as farmers or teachers.

“We have no objection as long as it’s a level playing field,” he said. “Everybody should be obliged to state who their client is and why they are lobbying.”