Overwatch Report

The Wheel

January–April

[EU Affairs] Emma Murtagh, European Programmes Manager, and Ivan Cooper, Director of Public Policy at the Wheel hosted officials from Department of Foreign Affairs and Minister of State Thomas Byrne at the final conference for the Europe for Citizens programme on 25th February.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Thomas Byrne', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of the Taoiseach)'}

Microsoft Ireland Operations Ltd

January–April

[Economic Development and Industry] Investment and jobs announcement and discussion on skills and the all-island research agenda

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Ciaran Conlon (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation)'} {'name': 'Micheál Martin', 'role': 'An Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)'}

The Wheel

January–April

[EU Affairs] Emma Murtagh, European Programmes Manager, and Deirdre Garvey, CEO of The Wheel, met with Bairbre Nic Aongusa and departmental officials from the Department of Rural and Community Development on 25th March in relation to collaboration on Access Europe. Access Europe, which is led by The Wheel and funded by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, aims to provide a support and capacity-building programme for Irish civil society organisations to better access EU funds and engage in EU

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Bairbre Nic Aongusa', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Rural and Community Development)'}

AONTAS

January–April

[Education and Training] Shared AONTAS report on the impact of Mitigating Against Educational Disadvantage Fund on community education.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'William Beausang', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Science)'}

The Victims Alliance

January–April

[Education and Training] Lobbied for improved access to 3rd level education in legal and therapy fields for people from minority groups and disadvantaged backgrounds

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Simon Harris', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Science)'} {'name': 'Anne Rabbitte', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)'} {'name': 'Norma Foley', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Education)'} {'name': "Roderic O'Gorman", 'role': 'Minister (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)'} {'name': 'Stephen Donnelly', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Health)'} {'name': 'Mary Butler', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Health)'}

AONTAS

January–April

[Education and Training] Adult learning needs in N Ireland, overview of engagement of AONTAS with UK and N Ireland to support adult learning for marginalised learners

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Keith Moynes', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Science)'}

Clare Public Participation Network

January–April

[Energy and Natural Resources] Clare PPN wrote to all Clare County Councillors requesting that they set up a task force to deal with the issues of water and sewage provision in the County as administered by Irish Water - these issues affect zoning and planning and our members feel the Councillors should have input

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Email All Councillors', 'role': "One email from Clare PPN to all Clare County Councillors as described above and including a relevant section from Clare PPN's Submission to the National Water Resources Framework Plan for their attention"} {'name': 'Michael Begley', 'role': 'Councillor (Clare County Council)'} {'name': 'James Breen', 'role': 'Councillor (Clare County Council)'} {'name': 'Pat Burke', 'role': 'Councillor (Clare County Council)'} {'name': 'Clare Colleran Molloy', 'role': 'Councillor (Clare County Council)'} {'name': 'Bill Chambers', 'role': 'Councillor (Clare County Council)'} + 28 more

SSE plc

January–April

[Energy and Natural Resources] Email to outline the advantages of implementing a seabed leasing process.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Paul Kenny', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Climate Action, Communication Networks and Transport)'}

Voice of Irish Concern for the Environment

January–April

[Environment] Potential funding of a zero waste community programme and support for public engagement for reusable menstrual products

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Roderic O'Gorman", 'role': 'Minister (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)'} {'name': 'Paul Kenny', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)'}

Courtown Community Council

January–April

[Community] Two virtual meetings with Senator Malcolm Byrne regarding community development, heritage and conservation.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Malcolm Byrne', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'}

Unite the Union, Ireland Region

January–April

[Transport] Need for the Road Safety Authority and the Department of Transport to engage with Approved Driving Instructors through their union, Unite, in respect of all matters affecting ADIs

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Louise O'Reilly", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

The Union of Students in Ireland

January–April

[Education and Training] USI’s Pre-Budget Submission and Irish language funding at third level

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Ruairí Ó Murchú', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Aengus Ó Snodaigh', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Fergus O'Dowd", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Obair Newmarket on fergus CLG

January–April

[Community] Contacted Clare Co Councilors to get their support for our Town and Village grant application

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Michael Begley', 'role': 'Councillor (Clare County Council)'} {'name': 'Pat Burke', 'role': 'Councillor (Clare County Council)'} {'name': 'Bill Chambers', 'role': 'Councillor (Clare County Council)'} {'name': 'Clare Colleran Molloy', 'role': 'Councillor (Clare County Council)'} {'name': 'Joe Cooney', 'role': 'Councillor (Clare County Council)'} {'name': 'John Crowe', 'role': 'Councillor (Clare County Council)'} + 22 more

Environmental Pillar

January–April

[Environment] Request for members of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action to hear from experts with regard to environmental impacts of the Arterial Drainage Act

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Richard Bruton', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Christopher O'Sullivan", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Society of St. Vincent de Paul

January–April

[Environment] Engagement with elected officials to ensure the Climate Action and Low Carbon Economy Bill is underpinned by principles of climate justice and that the recovery from Covid-19 is just focusing on social and environmental justice.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Eamon Ryan', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)'} {'name': 'Jennifer Whitmore', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Duncan Smith', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Darren O'Rourke", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Richard Bruton', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Education and Skills)'} {'name': "Christopher O'Sullivan", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 8 more

RGDATA

January–April

[Employment] Working Group on Collective Bargaining & Statutory Wage Setting Mechanisims

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Leo Varadkar', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)'}

Society of St. Vincent de Paul

January–April

[Social Protection] Engagement with the Minister for Communities seeking to discuss the need to benchmark social welfare payment against the cost of a Minimum Essential Standard of Living

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Joe O'Brien", 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Rural and Community Development)'}

American Chamber of Commerce Ireland

January–April

[Economic Development and Industry] Discussion on Ireland's Research and Innovation Agenda

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Simon Harris', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Science)'} {'name': 'Jim Breslin', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Science)'} {'name': 'Keith Moynes', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Science)'} {'name': 'William Beausang', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Science)'}

ABP Foods

January–April

[Agriculture] Age of slaughter of cattle and its impact on emissions

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Bill Callanan', 'role': 'Chief Inspector (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)'} {'name': 'Sinead McPhillips', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)'}

Dublin Zoo

January–April

[Heritage] The future mobility of the Phoenix Park

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Emer Currie', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Leo Varadkar', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Mary Lou McDonald', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Roderic O'Gorman", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Malcolm Noonan', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Jack Chambers', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 9 more

Dublin Zoo

January–April

[Heritage] communications regarding the government plan for re-opening

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Philip O’Callaghan', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of the Taoiseach)'} {'name': 'Elizabeth Canavan', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of the Taoiseach)'} {'name': "Darragh O'Brien", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Emer Currie', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'}

Environmental Pillar

January–April

[Environment] Land Development Agency Legislation

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Victor Boyhan', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Eoin Ó Broin', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Cian O'Callaghan", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Jennifer Whitmore', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Catherine Murphy', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

The Union of Students in Ireland

January–April

[Education and Training] Email to Senator Malcolm Byrne requesting parliamentary questions to be submitted to Minister Simon Harris to seek information on the breakdown of funding that had been made available to third-level institutions through the July Stimulus Package, and a breakdown in the distribution of devices through the laptop lending scheme.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Malcolm Byrne', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'}

Society of St. Vincent de Paul

January–April

[Trade] Engagement with the Tánaiste regarding the need to re-categorise charity shops as essential retail for the communities they serve

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Leo Varadkar', 'role': 'An Tánaiste (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Cork Chamber

January–April

[Heritage] Custom House Site to be Landmark for the City

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Email All Councillors', 'role': 'Cork County Council and Cork City Council elected representatives.'} {'name': 'Ann Doherty', 'role': 'Chief Executive Officer (Cork City Council)'} {'name': 'Tim Lucey', 'role': 'CEO (Cork County Council)'}

Irish Congress of Trade Unions

January–April

[Energy and Natural Resources] Draft Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages in the EU

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Leo Varadkar', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)'}

Coillte CGA

January–April

[Agriculture] To engage with the Department of Agriculture, Food & Marine regarding Forestry Licencing Crisis, Road Permit Delays, Critical Timber Supply Shortage and FAC Hearing Delays

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Charlie McConalogue', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)'} {'name': 'Pippa Hackett', 'role': 'Super Junior Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)'} {'name': 'Colm Hayes', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)'} {'name': 'Brendan Gleeson', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)'}

Sage Advocacy

January–April

[Health] To discuss concerns regarding neglect of a resident of Kilbrew nursing home who is now deceased.

Public Officials Lobbied

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

Sage Advocacy

January–April

[Health] A request for advocacy and support services

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Fergus O'Dowd", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Environmental Pillar

January–April

[Environment] Planning exemptions for on-street dining: consideration in new regulations for access and passage of those suffering visual or physical impairments

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Eoin Ó Broin', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Cian O'Callaghan", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Lobbying Tracker

Most Lobbied TDs