TRANSPARENCY OF LOBBYING: THE IRISH TRANSPARENCY REGISTER

The Irish Lobby Register differs in many key ways to the EU Transparency Register. Several of these differences emanate from the mandatory nature of the Irish register. For example, its basis in legislation makes it illegal for lobbyists who fall under its remit not to register, and makes it possible to sanction those who fail to do so. The wide-ranging investigative powers under the act – including the ability to request documents and search premises – are also novel features. This strict approach differs from the EU system.