Laws to register lobbyists in ‘months’

Laws establishing a register of all professional lobbyists and proper records of all meetings with ministers will be published in the next two months, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore told the Dáil.

“When someone walks in the door of a government minister or department, there will be a record of what was asked for, who asked for it and on whose behalf,” said Mr Gilmore.

The Tánaiste was responding to questions raised by the Fianna Fáil leader, Micheál Martin, who said it was “wrong” that the former Rehab director, Frank Flannery, was paid for by the charity to lobby cabinet members.