Transparency is a cornerstone of democratic governance because it allows the public to monitor governmental activity and see which private interests influence the state. Governments worldwide take strides in developing regulations to ensure transparency in governance, as have intergovernmental organisations such as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the European Union (EU), the World Bank, and the Council of Europe. Having more transparency policies developed means that citizens are more likely to have increased knowledge and trust in governments claiming to be ‘transparent'.

The aim that guides this project includes the development of a public policy-oriented approach to the study of transparency through the policy evaluation of the effects of different transparency laws on the behaviour and attitudes of different political actors.

To this end, we first surveyed 300 politically active interest groups in Ireland to explore the effects of transparency on the lobbying profession.

Secondly, we collected data on the way journalists use transparency portals thus acting as mediators of transparency.

Finally, we conducted a survey experiment on a nationally-representative sample of 1,800 participants (Republic of Ireland) to explore the effects of transparency on political trust and perceived corruption. 

Peer Reviewed Articles

Crepaz, M. (2024) Lobbying transparency and attitudes towards interest groups: a survey experiment. Interest Groups & Advocacy. Open Access.

Crepaz, M. & Arikan, G. (2023). The Effects of Transparency Regulation on Political Trust and Perceived Corruption: Evidence from a Survey Experiment. Regulation & Governance. Open Access.

Crepaz, M. & Kneafsey L. (2021). Usability of transparency portals: examination of perceptions of journalists as information seekers. Public Administration, 100(4), 978-998.

Crepaz, M. & Arikan, G. (2021). Information disclosure and political trust during the Covid-19 crisis: experimental evidence from Ireland. Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties, 31(s1): 96-108.

Crepaz, M. (2020). To inform, strategise, collaborate, or compete: what use do lobbyists make of lobby registers?. European Political Science Review, 12(3), 347-369.

Other outputs:

Crepaz, M. & Arikan, G. (2021). COVID-19 dashboards have a polarising effect on public trust. LSE Blogs.

Crepaz, M. & Worthy, B (2023). As another lobbying scandal erupts in the Conservative party, are tougher rules finally on the horizon? The Conversation UK.

Impact of the project:

House of Commons Library (UK). Lobbying in UK politics. Research Briefing.

Comment for Politico's London Influence Newsletter: Starmer’s standards struggle (UK) Jan 2024.

Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee Evidence: Lobbying and Influence: post-legislative scrutiny of the Lobbying Act 2014 and related matters inquiry (UK)

Standards Committee Evidence: Evidence on the quality and Impact of the Register of Members’ Financial Interests (UK)

Second Statutory Review of the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 (Ireland)

Project outputs cited in policy documents:

Eurofound (2022), Maintaining trust during the COVID-19 pandemic, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.

OECD (2024), Anti-Corruption and Integrity Outlook 2024, OECD Publications.

Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (2024), Open Government in Ireland (OGI) National Action Plan 2023 – 2025 Public Consultation Submission Returns.

The project is supported by the Irish Research Council (GOIPD/2018/52)

Project team:

Michele Crepaz, VC's Illuminate Fellow, Queen's University Belfast

Gizem Arikan, Assistant Professor, Trinity College Dublin

Other Collaborators:

Raj Chari, Professor, Trinity College Dublin

Liam Kneafsey, Assistant Professor, Trinity College Dublin

Ben Worthy, Senior Lecturer, Birkbeck University of London