Gormley pledges to reform donations and lobbying rules

The Green Party Leader and Environment Minister John Gormley has said that he intends to change the way politics is funded and curb the influence of lobbyists when the Dáil resumes in September.

Addressing a meeting of Green Party members in the Strand Hotel in Limerick today, Minister Gormley said: "Recent revelations about the fundraising activities of Fine Gael highlight once again the need for reform in this area. The inordinate influence of big business and wealthy individuals on legislation and government policies must come to an end.

"Why did we have light touch regulation on the banking sector? Was it simply part of a trend in liberal capitalist countries like the USA, Britain and Ireland or had it something to do with the donations the banks gave to the political parties? Yes, even the Labour Party took donations from the banks and did little while in power to curb the power of those banks.

"The legislation, which the Green Party will propose, will end not just corporate donations but also donations from trade unions. Is it really good for our society if the unions are hand-in-glove with the Labour Party and dictating policy?

"The Croke Park agreement, which, extraordinarily, Labour did not publicly back because of a possible backlash from some of their donor unions, shows that public service reform is possible and indeed long overdue. If Labour had been in power it might never have happened.

"Outside forces also influence the conduct of politics through the actions of paid lobbyists. These individuals or companies who are paid handsomely by companies to achieve certain policy objectives have ready access to those in power. Many of them have previously been involved in political parties and know the system and the personalities. They also know the journalists and opinion formers.

"The influence of lobbyists is pervasive and at times pernicious. This is why we need a register of lobbyists to regulate their activities. It would immediately allow the public to identify these individuals and the causes they espouse.

"This Autumn, the Green Party will be bringing forward an ambitious but deliverable programme of reform. Work is well underway in these two areas that I have already mentioned, but there will be other significant changes too.

"We will again be delivering real change; reforming institutions and practises – and bringing about a political system that people can be proud of. We will see when the Dáil resumes if those most noisily clamouring for change and calling for good governance will embrace our plans, or if they will continue to play politics and protect the status quo – and their own vested interests," Minister Gormley concluded.