Overwatch Report

Sage Advocacy

May–August

[Justice and Equality] Supported a joint appeal to the Minister for Justice to ensure that the forthcoming review of the civil legal aid scheme will be a root and branch review and that it will also address the issue of unmet legal need in Ireland.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Heather Humphreys', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Justice)'}

Sage Advocacy

May–August

[Health] To highlight that some nursing home providers had re-introduced restrictions on visiting and the impact that this had on residents and their families and to highlight the need for a Commission on Care.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mary Butler', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Health)'}

Mullingar Chamber Of Commerce

May–August

[Transport] Improve Traffic Management

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Deirdre Reilly', 'role': 'Director of Services or Equivalent (Westmeath County Council)'}

Irish Offshore Operators' Association CLG

May–August

[Energy and Natural Resources] The need for Government policy on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)

Public Officials Lobbied

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

Wilson Hartnell

on behalf of Yes (client not named)

May–August

[Energy and Natural Resources] Briefing on the impact of energy generation outages and the upward pricing pressures of the wholesale energy market, along with the impact on independent energy providers

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Eamon Ryan', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)'} {'name': 'Damien English', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)'} {'name': 'Alan Farrell', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Christopher O'Sullivan", '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)'} + 3 more

St. Francis Hospice Dublin

May–August

[Health] Seeking assistance to secure restoration of funding from the HSE for St. Francis Hospice Dublin as a Section 39 funded agency, in order to implement the new HSE payscales associated with the Lansdowne Road Agreement.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Clare Mungovan', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of the Taoiseach)'} {'name': 'Emer Currie', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Jack Chambers', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Sam Griffin', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of the Taoiseach)'}

Arup

on behalf of Yes (client not named)

May–August

[Development and Zoning] Meeting Details: Monday 28th June 2021 @ 10.00 – Duration <10 mins Attendees: Bernard FitzPatrick (Arup), Tony Lynch (Arup), Padraig Barrett (Cork County Council). Context: Arup engaged with Cork County Council regarding a planning application for Pfizer Ringaskiddy. The engagement involved a discussion on potential locations for off site construction parking and proposals to address a submission made by TII on same.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Padraig Barrett', 'role': 'Director of Services or Equivalent (Cork County Council)'}

Coillte CGA

May–August

[Agriculture] Engagement on forestry licencing, road permits and potential afforestation initiatives.

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)'}

Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland

May–August

[Health] Following our meeting with Minister Anne Rabbitte AOTI engaged with the Minister's Special Adviser Noel Byrne

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Noel Byrne', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Health)'}

Sustainable Water Network (SWAN)

May–August

[Environment] Various topics around environmental sustainability and water management

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Pippa Hackett', 'role': 'Super Junior Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)'} {'name': 'Róisín Garvey', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': "Pauline O'Reilly", 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'}

Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association

May–August

[Environment] Meeting with Malcolm Noonan, Minister for State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Malcolm Noonan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'}

Environmental Pillar

May–August

[Environment] Planning and Development, Heritage and Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2021 (Bill 47 of 2021) and EU Habitats Directive

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Alice-Mary Higgins', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'}

Wind Energy Ireland

May–August

[Energy and Natural Resources] Long-duration storage

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Paul Kenny', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)'}

ESB

May–August

[Energy and Natural Resources] Range of engagements regarding use of hybrid connections for embedded generation, which involves combining offshore wind with existing thermal generation stations, to accelerate the delivery of offshore wind to meet Programme for Government targets of 5,000MW by 2030, emphasising the opportunities arising from the Green Atlantic @ Moneypoint strategy of ESB

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Brian Leddin', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Paul Kenny', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)'} {'name': 'Róisín Garvey', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Joe Carey', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Cathal Crowe', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Michael McNamara', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 12 more

Sage Advocacy

May–August

[Housing] To highlight to an elected representative housing related issues experienced by an individual who required support from Sage Advocacy.

Public Officials Lobbied

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

ESB

May–August

[Energy and Natural Resources] Engagements seeking technical amendment to existing legislation to clarify that the DSO may engage in dispatching, to ensure that the transposition of the Clean Energy Package can be completed in a manner that enables ESBN to carry out the intended DSO role, in particular with regard to non-frequency ancillary and flexibility services.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Matthew Collins', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)'}

Benefacts

May–August

[Public Expenditure and Reform] To update on the status of Benefacts and to encourage him to take an interest in it.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'David Moloney', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)'}

ESB

May–August

[Energy and Natural Resources] Engagements in response to a request regarding the proposed General Scheme of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Feargal Ó Coigligh', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': 'Mary Hurley', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'}

Philanthropy Ireland

May–August

[Community] Request to discuss role of philanthropy in rebuild post COVID and how philanthropy can be advanced on the political agenda to maximise the role it can play.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Micheál Martin', 'role': 'An Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)'} {'name': 'Heather Humphreys', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Rural and Community Development)'} {'name': "Joe O'Brien", 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Rural and Community Development)'}

Instinctif Partners Public Affairs Ireland

May–August

[Environment] Letter to introduce the findings of ACE Ireland's beverage sorting trial and position in relation to the DECC consultation on the framework scope of the Deposit Return Scheme.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Eamon Ryan', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)'} {'name': 'Richard Bruton', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Réada Cronin', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Cormac Devlin', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Alan Farrell', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Brian Leddin', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 8 more

Environmental Pillar

May–August

[Environment] Planning and Development, Heritage and Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2021 (Bill 47 of 2021) and EU Habitats Directive

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Alice-Mary Higgins', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'}

Renewable Gas Forum-Irish Green Gas Limited

May–August

[Energy and Natural Resources] Engaging with Government on the pathway for developing indigenous biomethane industry and presenting a fully integrated business case that can decarbonise the thermal demand in manufacturing and processing, and enable the decarbonisation of agriculture sector, utilising digestate (bio fertiliser) and pursue the significant opportunities for Carbon farming in the most economically advantageous structure. Project Clover is an industry led initiative and collaboration

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Paul Kenny', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)'} {'name': 'Brendan Gleeson', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)'} {'name': 'Bill Callanan', 'role': 'Chief Inspector (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)'} {'name': 'Pippa Hackett', 'role': 'Super Junior Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)'}

Age Action

May–August

[Social Protection] Briefing provided to Labour Part TDs on the STOP67 objectives and proposals

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Ged Nash', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Aodhán Ó Ríordáin', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Age Action

May–August

[Social Protection] Provision of a brief to Labour Party TDs on Age Action's pre-budget analysis and proposals

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Seán Sherlock', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Age Action

May–August

[Social Protection] Attendance at the Department of Social Protection's Pre-Budget Forum

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Joe O'Brien", 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Rural and Community Development)'} {'name': 'Damien English', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Social Protection)'} {'name': 'Heather Humphreys', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Social Protection)'}

BiggerStage

May–August

[Trade] Our interest is to update Section 481 to include unscripted television production

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Michael McGrath', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)'} {'name': 'Leo Varadkar', 'role': 'An Tánaiste (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Kevin Barrett', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)'} {'name': 'Matthew Lynch', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)'}

Age Action

May–August

[Social Protection] Provision of a briefing to Fianna Fáil TDs on Age Action's Budget 2022 priorities.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Dara Calleary', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Cormac Devlin', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Malcolm Byrne', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Robbie Gallagher', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Gerry Horkan', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Eugene Murphy', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} + 4 more

Age Action

May–August

[Taxation] Attendance at the National Economic Dialogue including the breakout session on taxation

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Paschal Donohoe', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Finance)'}

Age Action

May–August

[Health] Attendance at the National Economic Dialogue including the breakout session on health

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Stephen Donnelly', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Health)'}

Age Action

May–August

[Social Protection] Provision of a brief to Fianna Fáil TDS and Senators in relation to the STOP67 campaign to protect the state pension of which Age Action is a member

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Robert Troy', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)'} {'name': 'Dara Calleary', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Éamon Ó Cuív', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Lobbying Tracker

Most Lobbied TDs