Designated Public Officials Register

Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015

The Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 came into effect on 1st September 2015.  It provides that certain people who are carrying on lobbying activities must register with the Standards in Public Office Commission and must provide information about their lobbying activities. The Register of Lobbying is maintained by the Standards in Public Office Commission and will be publicly accessible by visiting the Lobbying website. 

What does the register include?

The Register of Lobbying includes information about:

• Who is lobbying
• On whose behalf is lobbying being carried out
• The issues involved in the lobbying
• What is the intended result of the lobbying
• Who is being lobbied

Designated Public Officials

The person being lobbied is a designated public official. They include:

• Ministers and Ministers of State
• Members of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann
• MEP’s for constituencies in this State
• Members of Local Authorities
• Special Advisers appointed under Section 11 of the Public Service Management Act
• Secretaries General and Assistant Secretaries in the Civil Service
• Chief Executive Officers and Directors of Services in Local Authorities

Designated Public Officials of Laois County Council

Section 6 (4) of the above Act requires each public body to publish a list showing the name, grade and brief details of the role and responsibilities of each “Designated Public Official” of the body.  The purpose of the list is:-

• To allow members of the public identify those 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.

The designated public officials of Laois County Council are the Elected Members (Councillors) and the Chief Executive and Directors of Services. The following are details of same:-