I thank Senators Higgins and Ruane for taking the time to table these amendments. Amendment No. 1 proposes to reset the period between statutory reviews to three years and to allow for a shorter timeframe if the Minister deems it appropriate. Amendments Nos. 9 and 13 propose the introduction of two new reviews. The first would evaluate the impact of administrative sanctions and the capacity of SIPO to impose this regime three years after the system becomes operable. The second new review would, within 12 months, re…

Is the Senator asking whether it is possible to avoid or evade the provisions of this section by having part-time employees rather than full-time employees?

I will think about that and get back to the Senator later in the debate, if that is okay.

I note the Senator's intention potentially to bring forward an amendment on Report Stage.

Senator Mullen raised an interesting point about transparency over international lobbying. He made the point that both liberals and conservatives alike may be concerned about interference from a left-wing or a right-wing group in another country. While that is an interesting debate to have and I want to have it, it does not relate to the amendment. Senator Higgins pointed out the risk of a chilling effect on NGOs and notes the possibility of impersonation-type lobby groups. There are groups pretending to be green l…

Before I start, I wish to answer a question that Senator Boylan asked earlier about section (4)(b), which amends section 5 of the principal Act. This provision makes two technical amendments. They are needed by the insertion of new paragraphs (d) and (e) into section 5(2) of the principal Act. The final amendment brings certain informal business groups, which themselves have no full-time employees, within the scope of the Act, and in particular bodies formed to represent the interests of their members and bodies th…

I thank Senator Boylan. I was not aware that there are separate rules for the lobbying of the tobacco industry, so I thank her for telling me that. I will consider that, and if the Senator wants to introduce amendments on Report Stage, I will consider them on the basis of that.

I thank the House for inviting me here. I welcome the students from Ballybrack. I am not sure whether this is the most exciting debate of the day. Lobbying is an essential element of a well-functioning and mature democracy. The institutions of Government need to hear from varying interests in order to make well informed and grounded decisions balancing wider societal needs against the needs, expectations and experiences of varying interests across the economic and social spectrum. The aim of the Regulation of Lobby…

I thank Senators for their input into this debate. Senator Maria Byrne spoke first and I thank her for welcoming the Bill. She underlined the importance of having different perspectives, but also the importance of having clarity around definitions, what constitutes lobbying and what one can and cannot do. As she said, it is important we appreciate we are not making laws in isolation from the real world. People are coming in to us from groups, whether public or private, and lobbying us. It is also important people c…

I thank the Senator for raising this topic. One of the most important things the Government does is trying to keep people, particularly the elderly, warm in their homes in the winter. First, I will outline the regulatory regime which we operate. There have been movements in global price and this has impacted households and businesses in Ireland. I will then talk about the Government's response. Responsibility for regulation of the electricity market is solely a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities,…

The Senator referred to hardship funds and I referred to the fact that there is a new €10 million fund, which is on top of the hardship funds that were there already. As she mentioned, not all suppliers are taking part in hardship funds. Affected people who are worried about paying their bills can contact a supplier directly and ask for that. If they prefer, they can go to the Money Advice & Budgeting Service, MABS, or to Alone and have them advocate on their behalf. The Senator mentioned that she felt that electri…

This is an important matter. I agree that having good collision data on road traffic incidents is absolutely vital to being able to bring down the rates overall and protect people. The Road Safety Authority, in addition to providing a number of essential services, is responsible for public awareness and education in the road safety area. It is also the body with statutory responsibility for preparing our national road safety strategies, such as the current one, which runs until 2023. The RSA is also a centre of exp…

The Minister has drafted the direction. We have to have a consultation with the Data Protection Commissioner. We cannot predict how long the Data Protection Commissioner will take to decide on what we are trying to do and to decide whether the commission endorses it. If we arrive at a position where the Data Protection Commissioner says that it is fine or we can do it within certain constraints, we can issue the order right away. If the Data Protection Commissioner says we need further primary legislation to underp…

I thank Senator Sherlock for putting her case very clearly. I have been asked by the Minister for Transport to respond on his behalf. The operation of all roadworthiness testing in the State, including commercial vehicle roadworthiness, CVR, testing, is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority. The minimum requirements for CVR testing are set in EU Directive No. 2014/45. The Authorisation of Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness Test Operators and Testers (Amendment) Regulations 2022, SI 475 of 2022, p…

I thank the Cathaoirleach and Senator Sherlock. These guidelines have been flagged since 2004. They became mandatory in 2013. It is not as though they are being rushed in. There will be a further three years' grace, namely, from 2024 to 2027. Senator Sherlock asked for a technical explanation beyond whatever has been provided to her so far. I am happy to go back to the Department and seek that on her behalf. I appreciate that there will be a number of operators who will be impacted by this, but there is no possibil…

I thank Senator Lombard. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan. The Minister for Transport has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding in relation to the national roads programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015, and in line with the national development plan, NDP, the planning, design, improvement and upgrading of individual national roads becomes a matter for …

I admire the Senator's tenacity in following up on this matter. He is right to do so. Of all State agencies involved in infrastructure provision, TII has been at the forefront. It is probably because TII has delivered so many road projects over many years that it has developed very strong in-house expertise. Of all agencies, TII's numbers or predictions for its projects and plans are the ones I would believe. TII is really able to deliver a road on time and on budget. My Department has been renamed as the Departmen…

I heard the strength of feeling on this issue from all Senators. Senator Boyhan raised uninsured vehicles and other issues. These were dealt with by the board and reported to the Comptroller and Auditor General by the then chairperson, Mr. Fintan Gorman. The Minister has appointed members to the board of IFI and asked the Public Appointments Service to appoint additional board members. I want to see responsibility and accountability. The Minister spoke about the governance of IFI and the requirements of the two sen…

I completely agree. The Minister has asked IFI to refocus the organisation to protect habitats. The recent controversies have slowed the progress of this change in focus. The Minister is also very disappointed that this change of direction has not yet happened. He has spoken of how IFI needs to be a primary guardian of our waterways to improve habitats for fish and, thereafter, a sustainable rural economy based on pristine waters and high-value tourism. To respond to Senator Dolan, the Public Appointments Service h…

I move: That Dáil Eireann approves the terms of the Annual Emission Allocation Units Purchase Agreement for target compliance purposes under Decision No. 406/2009/EC, signed on 14 February 2023, a copy of which was laid before Dáil Eireann on 13 March 2023. Thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, for the opportunity to speak on this important matter. As a member of the EU, Ireland has annual legally binding emissions reduction targets to meet. These targets are set out in EU legislation and compliance checks are carried out…