Lobbying rules not strong enough and unenforceable

Sipo has been in the news this week in relation to Robert Troy TD, but the organisation's recent review highlighted the body's lack of teeth when it comes to former government insiders getting new jobs lobbying their former colleagues. Sean Murray reports

Last week, Fianna Fáil Minister of State Robert Troy described his failure to declare the sale of a property in Mullingar to Westmeath County Council in 2018 as an “error”, and said he would be seeking to amend the Dáil’s register of interests accordingly. Photo: Collins Photos

The traditional summer “silly season” in media is considered to be a thing of the past since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and this August has been no exception as, even with the Dáil not sitting, eyes squarely lay on the political sphere this week.

The role the State’s ethics watchdog plays came to the fore after The Ditch began reporting earlier this month on Fianna Fáil Minister of State Robert Troy’s property purchases and sales over the years.