Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 - Designated Public Officials
The Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 commenced on 1 September 2015.
The Act provides that the Standards in Public Office Commission will establish and maintain an online Register of lobbying activity, making information available to the public on the identity of those communicating with designated public officials on specific policy, legislative matters or prospective decisions. Lobbyists must report on their interactions with the Designated Public Officials.
Section 6(4) of the Act requires each public body to publish a list of Designated Public Officials of that body. The list is a resource for lobbyists filing a return to the Register who may need to source a designated public official’s details. The list of Designated Public Officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is set out in the table below:
| Name | Organisation | Title |
| Mr. Simon Coveney, T.D. | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade |
| Mr. Ciarán Cannon, T.D. | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development |
| Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Minister of State for European Affairs | |
| Ms Caitríona Fitzpatrick | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Special Adviser to the Tánaiste |
| Mr. Matthew Lynch | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Special Adviser to the Tánaiste |
| Mr. Chris Donoghue | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Special Adviser to the Tánaiste |
| Mr. Paul Fox | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Special Adviser to the Minister of State for European Affairs |
| Mr. Niall Burgess | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Secretary General |
| Ms Geraldine Byrne Nason | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Second Secretary General |
| Mr. Michael Collins | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Second Secretary General |
| Mr. Rory Montgomery | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Second Secretary General |
| Mr. Adrian O'Neill | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Second Secretary General |
| Mr. Brendan Rogers | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Deputy Secretary General |
| Mr. Ruairí de Búrca | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Assistant Secretary |
| Mr. John Conlan | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Chief Financial Officer |
| Ms Maeve Collins | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Assistant Secretary |
| Ms Ann Derwin | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Assistant Secretary |
| Mr. Michael Gaffey | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Assistant Secretary |
| Mr. Austin Gormley | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Assistant Secretary |
| Mr. Joe Hackett | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Assistant Secretary |
| Mr. Tom Hanney | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Assistant Secretary |
| Mr. Justin Harman | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Assistant Secretary |
| Ms Sonja Hyland | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Assistant Secretary |
| Ms Barbara Jones | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Assistant Secretary |
| Mr. J P Kavanagh | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Assistant Secretary |
| Mr. Declan Kelleher | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Assistant Secretary |
| Mr. James Kingston | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Legal Adviser |
| Mr. Eamonn McKee | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Assistant Secretary |
| Mr. Dan Mulhall | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Assistant Secretary |
| Mr. Fergal Mythen | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Assistant Secretary |
| Ms Aingeal O'Donoghue | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Assistant Secretary |
| Ms Patricia O'Brien | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Assistant Secretary |
| Mr. Colm Ó Floinn | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Assistant Secretary |
| Ms Orla O'Hanrahan | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Assistant Secretary |
| Mr. Eoin O'Leary | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Assistant Secretary |
| Mr. Barrie Robinson | Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Assistant Secretary |
Ms Fiona Flood, Director of Security, Coordination & Compliance Unit, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, is the Nominated Official to liaise with the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO).
Transparency Code
Section 5(7) of the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 provides that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform shall prepare and publish a code, to be known as the "Transparency Code", which sets out how certain relevant public bodies, such as ministerial advisory groups, certain working groups etc. may conduct their activities in a transparent way.
By adhering to the Transparency Code, communications within these bodies would meet the exemption from the requirement to register and report on lobbying activities.
Relevant groups exempted under the Transparency Code are the Brexit Stakeholder Forum and the Export Trade Council.
Guidance
The Standards Commission has a role under the legislation to issue guidance and information and to promote an understanding of the legislation. The Standards Commission, in co-operation with the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform, has published guidance on the Regulation of Lobbying Act for Designated Public Officials.
Further information regarding the legislation and further guidance on the Act is available on the Regulation of Lobbying website at www.lobbying.ie. Further information may also be obtained by contacting the Standards Commission at info@lobbying.ie or at 01-6395722.