Paul Hosford: Former ministers and advisors shouldn’t be allowed waltz into Leinster House

The Dáil chamber at Leinster House, Dublin. The right of former TDs to enter Leinster House has been questioned, especially in the light of potential lobbying and access to ministers.

There are few workplaces where ex-employees are given lifetime access.

Sure, if you worked in a shop you could still pop by and say hello to ex-colleagues or some offices would have no issue with a quick visit or coffee with a friend in the staff canteen.

However, lifetime, unfettered access just because you used to work there? It’s a rarity.

One place where you do get it is our national parliament. Many who read this story will know, but many more will not, that ex-members of the Oireachtas are granted lifetime access to the Leinster House complex in central Dublin.

The protocol for this privilege doesn’t spell out the why of it all, only that it has been afforded since the foundation of the State.

There is a question of whether this has ever been appropriate, allowing access to the corridors of power to those no longer mandated, but given that the recent years has seen more of a spotlight on the ease with which some former politicians move to lobbying roles, it's worth asking again.

The Oireachtas Finance Committee has its reservations. In its pre-legislative scrutiny report on the Regulation of Lobbying Bill, the committee writes: "[T]hat for the purposes of the bill, former Oireachtas members who take up positions as lobbyists, are treated the same as normal lobbyists and do not enjoy special privileges like permission to enter the Oireachtas without an invitation."

While the current system requires ministers, public officials, and advisors undertake a cooling-off period of one year after they leave office, the protocol for accessing Leinster House does not require any such wait. They simply have to request an access card from the superintendent of the Houses of the Oireachtas.

The protocol says that the card "may be used for confirmation of attendance in Leinster House, public health tracing, health and safety, fire safety and related matters". However, the Houses of the Oireachtas says that no record is kept of who comes and goes and that there is no signing-in done, rather an access card is swiped.

While there is no suggestion that this system is currently being used to skirt lobbying rules, the principle remains that the Oireachtas remains the heart of our democracy. Access to the building for politicians is openly and publicly decided each time there is an election. Allowing those who lose those elections to use the facility leaves politicians open to suggestions of impropriety which could be easily avoided by requiring each visitor to be invited and those records open to freedom of information requests.

The Taoiseach last year suggested that lifetime use of the parking spaces at Leinster House were a way to recognise contribution to the State. However, recognition for a job done comes in the form of good pay and pensions - not in being able to access our national parliament whenever it suits.