Tobacco firm JTI Ireland has welcomed the introduction of the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015, which establishes a web-based register of lobbying activity that can easily be accessed by the public.
Commenting on the legislation, Cheryl Cullen, head of regulatory affairs at JTI Ireland said, "As a business in a highly-regulated sector, it is imperative that we meet with policy makers to discuss various approaches to tobacco regulation, even if they are ultimately rejected."
Cullen added that while the WHO's Framework on Tobacco Control is "often used to exclude the tobacco industry from discussions on tobacco policy", the new Act "leaves no room for arbitrary exclusion of discrimination against particular organizations. Minister Howlin should be commended for this."
The new Act has been designed to make the public policy making process more transparent, while allowing all interested stakeholders to make their views known to public officials and policymakers.
"Lobbying is an essential part of the democratic process, as it allows the sharing of expertise, ideas, and different perspectives between all interested parties," said Cullen. "The new Act will ensure that everyone undertaking lobbying activities is held to the same high standard - be it a business, charitable organizations or representative bodies."
© 2015 - Checkout Magazine by Stephen Wynne-Jones
