Overwatch Report

Cork Chamber

May–August

[Transport] Communication with Cork Oireachtas members regarding key transport projects

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Email All TDs', 'role': 'Cork South Central and North Central TDs only.'} {'name': 'Email All Councillors', 'role': 'Cork City Councillors only.'}

Federation of Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians

May–August

[Health] Letter to Minister Dara Calleary requesting a meeting to discuss new eye care services for patients in Ireland.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Dara Calleary', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Social Protection)'}

Cooley Distillery

May–August

[Trade] EU Trade relations with US impact on our business

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Peter Burke', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Robert Troy', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Holocaust Education Ireland CLG

May–August

[Justice and Equality] Wrote letter to Taoiseach inviting him to give keynote speech at National Holocaust Memorial Day commemoration

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Micheál Martin', 'role': 'Taoiseach (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Federation of Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians

May–August

[Health] Pre-budget submission to the Minister for Finance, Health, Social Protection, and Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Services, Reform and Digitalisation outlining recommendations to improve and sustain primary eye care services.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Jennifer Carroll MacNeill', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Health)'} {'name': 'Dara Calleary', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Social Protection)'} {'name': 'Paschal Donohoe', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'Jack Chambers', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)'}

Cork Chamber

May–August

[Transport] Progress on key road and rail projects in Cork region

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Email All Oireachtas Members', 'role': 'Cork Oireachtas members only.'} {'name': 'Email All MEPs', 'role': 'Ireland South MEPs only.'} {'name': 'Email All Councillors', 'role': 'Cork City and County Councillors only.'} {'name': 'Moira Murrell', 'role': 'Chief Executive Officer (Cork County Council)'} {'name': "Valerie O'Sullivan", 'role': 'Chief Executive Officer (Cork City Council)'}

Uplift

May–August

[Communications] Responded to correspondence from Patrick O'Donovan, Minister for Arts & Media in which he declined to meet with Uplift members on the People's Inquiry and urged us to talk to Coimisiún na Meán. I said the issue was pressing for government and extended beyond Coimisiún na Meán's scope into issues such as AI and GDPR and asked him to reconsider and meet with us.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Patrick O'Donovan", 'role': 'Minister (Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science)'}

Chambers Ireland

May–August

[Transport] To highlight the recommendations of the Chambers Ireland pre-Budget submission 2026, including accelerating the delivery of keystone urban infrastructure rail programmes and for trainlines to be extended to ports and further development and updating of intercity rail services.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Email All Oireachtas Members', 'role': '6-10 emails'} {'name': 'Ken Spratt', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Transport)'} {'name': 'David Moloney', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)'} {'name': 'John Hogan', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'Declan Hughes', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)'} {'name': 'Graham Doyle', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'}

Chambers Ireland

May–August

[Economic Development and Industry] To highlight the recommendations of the Chambers Ireland pre-Budget submission 2026, including accelerating the delivery of keystone urban infrastructure rail programmes and for trainlines to be extended to ports and further development and updating of intercity rail services.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Email All Oireachtas Members', 'role': '6-10 emails'} {'name': 'Ken Spratt', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Transport)'} {'name': 'David Moloney', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)'} {'name': 'John Hogan', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'Declan Hughes', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)'} {'name': 'Graham Doyle', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'}

Uplift

May–August

[Communications] Emailed Sinead Gibney and Alan Kelly asking for a meeting to tell them about Uplift's People's Inquiry on Big Tech Harms and to share a PDF of our People's Inquiry report.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Sinéad Gibney', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Alan Kelly', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Uplift

May–August

[Communications] Virtual meeting with Sinead Gibney to brief her on the outcome and subsequent report on Uplift's People's Inquiry into Big Tech Harms,and to talk about ways she could support the campaign from within the Oireachtas.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Sinéad Gibney', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Chambers Ireland

May–August

[Economic Development and Industry] To highlight the recommendations of the Chambers Ireland pre-Budget submission 2026, including a €200 million Strategic Capital Investment Scheme over five years to support large scale, high growth projects across key sectors such as biotechnology, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, health technology, and marine proteins.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Email All Oireachtas Members', 'role': '6-10 emails'} {'name': 'Ken Spratt', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Transport)'} {'name': 'David Moloney', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)'} {'name': 'John Hogan', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'Declan Hughes', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)'} {'name': 'Graham Doyle', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'}

Chambers Ireland

May–August

[Finance] To highlight the recommendations of the Chambers Ireland pre-Budget submission 2026, including a €200 million Strategic Capital Investment Scheme over five years to support large scale, high growth projects across key sectors such as biotechnology, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, health technology, and marine proteins.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Email All Oireachtas Members', 'role': '6-10 emails'} {'name': 'Graham Doyle', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': 'Ken Spratt', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Transport)'} {'name': 'David Moloney', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)'} {'name': 'John Hogan', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'Declan Hughes', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)'}

Chambers Ireland

May–August

[Economic Development and Industry] To highlight the recommendations of the Chambers Ireland pre-Budget submission 2026, including expanding Special Regeneration Areas (SRAs) in cities where they are active and addressing tax disincentives associated with investing in vacant properties.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Email All Oireachtas Members', 'role': '6-10 emails'} {'name': 'Graham Doyle', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': 'Ken Spratt', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Transport)'} {'name': 'John Hogan', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'David Moloney', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)'} {'name': 'Declan Hughes', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)'}

BeLonG To Youth Services Ltd.

May–August

[Children and Youth Affairs] Met with Minister Foley to raise National Inclusion Strategy implementation; funding for Family Support Services; a pilot programme for families of under-14s; and recent research.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Norma Foley', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)'}

Ibec

May–August

[Economic Development and Industry] Small Firms Association Survey on AI

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Malcolm Byrne', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'James Geoghegan', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Sinéad Gibney', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Kiera Keogh', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Paul Murphy', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Johnny Mythen', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 8 more

Chambers Ireland

May–August

[Housing] To highlight the recommendations of the Chambers Ireland pre-Budget submission 2026, including refocussing the retrofitting programme to prioritise large-scale shallow retrofits and amend Section 97B of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 to incentivise retrofits of rental properties beyond 31 December 2025.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Email All Oireachtas Members', 'role': '6-10'} {'name': 'Ken Spratt', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Transport)'} {'name': 'David Moloney', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)'} {'name': 'John Hogan', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'Declan Hughes', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)'} {'name': 'Graham Doyle', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'}

Chambers Ireland

May–August

[Taxation] To highlight the recommendations of the Chambers Ireland pre-Budget submission 2026, including refocussing the retrofitting programme to prioritise large-scale shallow retrofits and amend Section 97B of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 to incentivise retrofits of rental properties beyond 31 December 2025.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Email All Oireachtas Members', 'role': '6-10'} {'name': 'Ken Spratt', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Transport)'} {'name': 'David Moloney', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)'} {'name': 'John Hogan', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'Graham Doyle', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': 'Declan Hughes', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)'}

Chambers Ireland

May–August

[Children and Youth Affairs] To highlight the recommendations of the Chambers Ireland pre-Budget, including building upon the recent increases in investment in early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) by further raising the universal subsidy above €2.14 per hour and increasing the income threshold beyond €60,000 under the National Childcare Scheme (NCS).

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Email All Oireachtas Members', 'role': '6-10'} {'name': 'Ken Spratt', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Transport)'} {'name': 'David Moloney', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)'} {'name': 'John Hogan', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'Declan Hughes', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)'} {'name': 'Graham Doyle', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'}

Chambers Ireland

May–August

[Economic Development and Industry] To highlight the recommendations of the Chambers Ireland pre-Budget, including building upon the recent increases in investment in early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) by further raising the universal subsidy above €2.14 per hour and increasing the income threshold beyond €60,000 under the National Childcare Scheme (NCS).

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Email All Oireachtas Members', 'role': '6-10'} {'name': 'Ken Spratt', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Transport)'} {'name': 'David Moloney', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)'} {'name': 'John Hogan', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'Declan Hughes', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)'} {'name': 'Graham Doyle', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'}

Cork Chamber

May–August

[Environment] A letter sent to the Minister and Secretary-General outlining key environmental policies to be prioritised as part of the National Development Plan review

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Darragh O'Brien", 'role': 'Minister (Department of Transport)'} {'name': 'Oonagh Buckley', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)'}

Chambers Ireland

May–August

[Education and Training] To highlight the recommendations of the Chambers Ireland pre-Budget, including the necessity to extend and expand Ireland’s Lifelong Learning Strategy beyond 2025, with a focus on inclusion, digital transformation, and green skills.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Email All Oireachtas Members', 'role': '6-10'} {'name': 'Ken Spratt', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Transport)'} {'name': 'David Moloney', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)'} {'name': 'John Hogan', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'Declan Hughes', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)'} {'name': 'Graham Doyle', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'}

Cork Chamber

May–August

[Transport] Communication with Minister Darragh O'Brien TD regarding key transport priorities for Cork

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Darragh O'Brien", 'role': 'Minister (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)'}

Chambers Ireland

May–August

[Employment] To highlight the recommendations of the Chambers Ireland pre-Budget, including extending the Key Employee Engagement Programme (KEEP) until 2030 and conduct further reviews and reforms to simplify the programme and ensure its accessibility and user-friendliness.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Email All Oireachtas Members', 'role': '6-10'} {'name': 'John Hogan', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'David Moloney', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)'} {'name': 'Declan Hughes', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)'} {'name': 'Ken Spratt', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Transport)'} {'name': 'Graham Doyle', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'}

Inclusion Ireland

May–August

[Budgetary matters] We contacted Ministers Foley and Naughton to invite either of them and or a member of her team to a briefing of Inclusion Ireland's Pre-Budget Submission's priorities, along with a full copy of the document for their consideration.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Norma Foley', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)'} {'name': 'Hildegarde Naughton', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)'}

Inclusion Ireland

May–August

[Education and Training] We contacted Minister Helen McEntee to welcome the appointment of Professor Anne Looney as chair of the National Convention on Education.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Helen McEntee', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Education)'}

Inclusion Ireland

May–August

[Justice and Equality] We contacted Minister Norma Foley to inform her of the publishing of 'The Right to Justice and Participation: Lessons from the Farrelly Commission' and to send her a copy

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Norma Foley', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)'}

Ana Liffey Drug Project

May–August

[Health] On 28th of August ALDP CEO Dawn Russell wrote to the Lord Mayor of Dublin Councilor Ray McAdam with a briefing note on current naloxone legislation and notes of what steps would need to be taken to amend the legislation to enable pharmacists to dispense naloxone to people from pharmacies.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Ray McAdam', 'role': 'Councillor (Dublin City Council)'}

Nursing Homes Ireland

May–August

[Health] NHI wrote to Minister O'Donnell informing them of our upcoming Nursing Homes week from the 18th-24th August. This is an annual nationwide celebration honours the people who live and work in nursing home care, and the communities they continue to shape with love, experience, and resilience.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Kieran O'Donnell", 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Health)'}

Creative Retail Distribution Limited

May–August

[Taxation] Email concerning the E-liquids Products Tax and concerns around the mechanism chosen to implement the tax via self-declaration rather than as a tax-stamp. Hale also referred to research commissioned from KPMG which raised several important policy considerations around the E-Liquids products tax including the potential for a surge in illicit and grey market sales.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Email All Oireachtas Members', 'role': 'Email to members of the Oireachtas referring to the proposed implementation of the E-liquids tax using a self-declaration mechanism rather than a tax stamp and highlighting the findings of an independent report from KPMG on the matter.'} {'name': 'Ciarán Ahern', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'William Aird', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Catherine Ardagh', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Ivana Bacik', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Cathy Bennett', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 233 more

Lobbying Tracker

Most Lobbied TDs