Regulation of Lobbying
The purpose of the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 is to provide for a web-based Register of Lobbying to make information available to the public on the identity of those communicating with designated public officials on specific policy, legislative matters or prospective decisions.
The Act aims to do this by providing for:
- The establishment and maintenance of a publicly accessible register of lobbying;
- Obligations on lobbyists to register and to provide information regularly about their lobbying activities, including, in the case of professional lobbyists, information about their clients;
- The introduction of a “cooling off” period during which lobbying activity may not be carried out by some former officials;
- The Standards in Public Office Commission (The Standards Commission) to be the regulator of lobbying.
The Citizens Information Board has specific responsibilities under the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015.
Section 6(1) of the Act provides that from 1 January 2025, the Citizens Information Board Chief Executive Officer shall be regarded as a Designated Public Official or “the lobbied” for the purposes of the Act.
Section 6(4) of the Act requires that the Citizens Information Board publish a list showing the name, grade and brief details of the role and responsibilities of the “designated public official”. The purpose of the list is twofold:
- To allow members of the public identify persons who are designated public officials; and
- As a resource for lobbyists filing a return to the Register who may need to source a designated public official’s details.
| Name | Grade | Role and Responsibility |
| Graham Long | Chief Executive Officer (Acting) | The Chief Executive Officer is responsible for providing the leadership, direction and overall vision for all staff and management in CIB by implementing the Board of CIB’s strategic plan which sets out the main objectives and targets for the organisation. |
Further information can be found on http://www.lobbying.ie