Public Affairs/Lobbying

The first step of lobbying in the EU is finding out what exactly a lobbyist is.

In a nutshell, lobbyists work to legally influence an organisation’s actions and decisions. Sometimes, lobbyists also attempt to reform certain policies. This often happens both locally and internationally.

Lobbyists, for example, could be members of parliament, non-profit agencies, or specialised political lobbying companies. With their work, these groups and individuals hope to bring about positive change.

Public affairs, in short, is how a company interacts with its stakeholders. This might sound fairly similar to public relations. However, this isn’t the same.

In fact, public affairs work on a much broader scale than public relations. For example, an organisation might identify a government’s actions and decisions that could affect them. This is where public affairs come in.

The organisation will then attempt to lobby for positive change, or for a decision that will affect them favourably. Many organisations might work with a public affairs agency to launch a successful campaign. However, a number of others have an internal public affairs consultant to assist in these matters.

In politics, groups, organisations, and individuals use lobbying to gain support for a particular campaign or convention. To do this, a spokesperson from these groups might meet other lobbying figureheads, i.e., members of parliament, committee members, and government ministers.

By doing this, lobbyists hope to influence government and political decisions, and come to an amicable solution. While this is generally done in person, a number of political lobbyists now opt for online lobbying. This is extremely convenient, as lobbyists and MPs can now interact from their own homes and offices.

Lobbying primarily works when different individuals and groups take political standpoints. For example, there are several organisations that highlight specific public affairs and issues in Ireland. These special interest groups keep an eye out for legislation and regulations that may concern them.

Once they identify these topics, they attempt to determine a mutually beneficial solution. To do this, many organisations avail of PA and lobbying services. After coming up with a faultless plan, they then work to drum up support for it.

After this, they will pitch it to a TD. While this might sound like a phenomenal effort, these organisations often work with a public affairs agency. This agency will walk them through the process, simplifying the entire matter.

More often than not, governments welcome lobbying, as well as discussions with lobbyists. Lobbying might have raised a few eyebrows over the past decades. However, government officials now appreciate discussions with lobbyists.

This is an excellent way for government officials to educate themselves on local issues. Many of them also use this as a way to open a dialogue with activist groups, individuals with special businesses, and small corporations.

The decision to lobby is a fairly popular one among small businesses and organisations. However, there are some disadvantages commonly associated with it. Here are some of the most prevalent disadvantages:

• It’s usually only effective for smaller, minority groups. While all change can be good, these changes might only affect a small demographic.
• Lobbying is highly specific. Because every organisation wants to highlight their perspective, new campaigns are fairly frequent. However, this means that with everyone trying to be heard, there are very few productive conversations.
• Campaigns require solutions; solutions require experience. Many groups come up with campaigns on their own, without help from lobbying organisations. This, therefore, results in a campaign without a solution, as they lack the experience to come up with one.

Don’t be put off by its disadvantages. When done right, lobbying has several advantages. Here’s why these campaigns can be a welcome change:

• It can build relationships. Lobbying can help foster relationships with local politicians and government officials. This is an excellent way to make your voice heard — especially if your organisation is on the smaller side.
• Lobbying is dependable. Given Ireland’s Regulation of Lobbying Act, these campaigns could be a solid way to raise awareness about certain issues. However, it’s important to follow the regulations to a tee.
• It helps shift power dynamics. Through these campaigns, smaller communities can voice their concerns. By doing this, they can affect positive legislative change, adding to fairness and equality.

Yes. In fact, Ireland has some of the most rigorous lobby-related laws in the world. This has been so effective that many other countries now want to follow suit.

Lobbying is also legal in the UK, via its Lobbying Act. These rules and regulations help to ensure that each campaign is transparent, and that all interactions are completely above-board.

Lobbying is extremely beneficial to both lobbyists and their governments. Through a good campaign, government officials become aware of the issues faced by smaller demographics. They can then address these issues, making positive change, and distributing assistance where it’s due.

At Paul Allen & Associates, we strive to understand your needs. In fact, we provide each of our clients with a fully customised, personal service. To achieve this, we only take on a limited number of clients.

Therefore, when you choose us for your lobbying needs, we can guarantee you an effective, intelligent campaign. We’ll walk you through each step — planning your goals, and launching them into action. For public affairs services in Dublin, look no further than Paul Allen & Associates.

To avail of our services, contact us via our website. You can also call us, or send us an email. We’d be delighted to work with you.