The Standards in Public Office Commission launched the register of lobbying activity www.lobbying.ie, in April. The Register will identify to the public who is communicating with Government and senior civil and public servants on public policy matters.


Trade unions will also be required to register as lobbying organisations, although only lobbying activity carried out by employees (paid officials) will be required to be reported. Lobbying by union members will only be reported in instances where their union has asked them to take part in a 'grassroots' lobbying campaign, and the trade union will be required to report that it organised the lobbying activity.

The register is being established under the recently enacted Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015. It will provide a simple, web based register of lobbying activity giving transparency on ‘who is contacting whom about what’.

Those who need to register lobbying activity can now begin to use the website. They will be obliged by law to register lobbying activity that takes place from September 1^st next. They must make returns of lobbying activity every four months, with the first returns being due by January 21^st 2016.

Launching the online register, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin TD, said “The Regulation of Lobbying Act will bring about significant improvements in the policy-making process in Ireland ensuring open communication and transparency.”