Departments clash on lobbyist register proposal

Two departments in the Government have clashed over proposals for a register of lobbyists which would prohibit former ministers from engaging with policy makers after leaving office.

A two-year “cooling off period” for former ministers along with an independent overview of the lobbying system are part of proposals by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, which intends to introduce new laws by the start of next year.

However, the Department of Jobs, Enterprise, and Innovation says legislation may not necessarily be required to regulate lobbyists and “a code of good practice may suffice”.