On 30 August 2024 the long-awaited Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 (Designated Public Officials) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 424/2024) (the “2024 Regulations”) were published (available here). The 2024 Regulations will significantly increase the list of public service positions which are to be considered as Designated Public Officials (“DPO”) for the purposes of the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 (the “2015 Act”).
It had previously been announced in the Programme for Government that the lobbying register would be extended to include certain officeholders with the Central Bank of Ireland, as well as other public bodies, where such officeholders have significant policy making functions. The 2024 Regulations, which come into effect on 1 January 2025, has confirmed this and bring certain other senior officials within public bodies such as the Consumer and Competition Protection Commission, Coimisiún na Meán and the Corporate Enforcement Authority within the scope of the Irish lobbying regulatory regime. The full list of new DPOs can be found in the text of the 2024 Regulations.
The expansion of the 2024 Regulations is a welcome development which provides further clarity on the obligations on lobbyists engaging with public bodies. Commenting on the 2024 Regulations, the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Delivery and Reform, Paschal Donohoe TD, said:
“I welcome the implementation of this programme for Government commitment which will make the workings of Government more transparent. Transparency is an essential part of promoting trust in Government. Lobbying is a key part of the democratic process. It plays an important role in policy formation. However, it needs to be open to public scrutiny. The people of Ireland should be able to monitor the potential influence that interest groups and representative bodies have on public policy issues and decisions.”
The publication of the 2024 Regulations serves as a timely reminder that the next lobbying deadline is 21 September 2024 in respect of any lobbying activity carried out during the period 1 May to 31 August 2024.
If you have any queries in relation to this update, please contact our Disputes & Investigations partners, Karen Reynolds and Connor Cassidy or your usual Matheson contact.