Overwatch Report

Law Society of Ireland

January–April

[Justice and Equality] Feedback on the Courts Service Board's Strategic Plan 2024-2027

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Advisor (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Angela Denning', 'role': 'Chief Executive Officer (The Courts Service)'}

Law Society of Ireland

January–April

[Employment] Engagement on the Draft Guidelines for Determining Employment Status for Taxation Purposes

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Advisor (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Niall Cody', 'role': 'Chairman (The Office of the Revenue Commissioners)'} {'name': 'Tom James', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (The Office of the Revenue Commissioners)'}

Law Society of Ireland

January–April

[Justice and Equality] Submission on the Reform of the Coroner Service

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Advisor (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Helen McEntee', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Justice and Equality)'} {'name': 'Andrew Munro', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Justice)'}

Law Society of Ireland

January–April

[Housing] Continued engagement with the Housing for All Expert Group (Department of An Taoiseach).

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Advisor (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Andrew Munro', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Justice)'}

Law Society of Ireland

May–August

[Housing] Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2022

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Advisor (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Eoin Ó Broin', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Law Society of Ireland

January–April

[Finance] Reduction of insurance costs

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Advisor (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Jennifer Carroll MacNeill', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Finance)'}

Law Society of Ireland

January–April

[Justice and Equality] The Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Advisor (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'James Lawless', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Andrew Munro', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Justice)'}

Law Society of Ireland

January–April

[Economic Development and Industry] Electronic Communications Act 2000

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Advisor (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'James Kelly', 'role': 'Controller of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)'}

Law Society of Ireland

January–April

[Finance] Insurance Reform

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Advisor (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Neale Richmond', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Finance)'}

Law Society of Ireland

May–August

[Justice and Equality] Engagement on the Family Courts Bill 2022.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Andrew Munro', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Justice)'} {'name': 'Helen McEntee', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Justice and Equality)'}

Law Society of Ireland

May–August

[Justice and Equality] Engagement on the Solicitors Acts 1954 to 2015 (Awards of Merit and Honorary Membership) Regulations 2024

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Andrew Munro', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Justice)'}

Law Society of Ireland

May–August

[Justice and Equality] Meeting to discuss the modernisation of legal aid with the Department of Justice

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': "Stjohn O'Connor", 'role': 'Director (Department of Justice)'} {'name': 'Carole Sullivan', 'role': 'Acting Assistant Secretary (Department of Justice)'} {'name': 'Marion Berry', 'role': 'Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions)'} {'name': 'Helena Kiely', 'role': 'Chief Prosecution Solicitor (The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions)'} {'name': 'Caron McCaffrey', 'role': 'Director General (Irish Prison Service)'} + 1 more

Law Society of Ireland

May–August

[Justice and Equality] Submission on the Draft Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Andrew Munro', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Justice)'}

Law Society of Ireland

May–August

[Justice and Equality] Meeting with DOJ on justice and law reform issues generally

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Carole Sullivan', 'role': 'Acting Assistant Secretary (Department of Justice)'}

Law Society of Ireland

May–August

[Justice and Equality] Continued advocacy in relation to legislative reform and changes to the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act 2015 including discussions in relation to the Decision Support Service (DSS)

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Anne Rabitte', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)'} {'name': "Roderic O'Gorman", 'role': 'Minister (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)'} {'name': 'Noel Byrne', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)'} {'name': 'Catherine Ardagh', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'}

Law Society of Ireland

May–August

[Economic Development and Industry] Submission on the General Scheme of the Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Peter Burke', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)'}

Law Society of Ireland

May–August

[Justice and Equality] Submission on the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004 (Pre-action Protocol) Regulations 2024

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Helen McEntee', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Justice and Equality)'}

Law Society of Ireland

May–August

[Justice and Equality] Submission on the Planning and Environment List

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Angela Denning', 'role': 'Chief Executive Officer (The Courts Service)'}

Law Society of Ireland

May–August

[Justice and Equality] Property Buyers Bill 2021

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'James Lawless', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)'}

Law Society of Ireland

May–August

[Economic Development and Industry] The Companies Act 2014 and the Companies Act 2014 (Section 150) (No.2) Regulations 2015

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Peter Burke', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)'}

Law Society of Ireland

May–August

[Justice and Equality] Engagement with political parties on a range of topics including: - Increased funding for the Courts Service - Restoration of funding for criminal legal aid and civil legal aid reform - Conveyancing reform (including the continued introduction of eConveyancing)

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Pa Daly', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Law Society of Ireland

May–August

[Development and Zoning] Environmental legal costs financial assistance mechanism (Aarhus Convention)

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Eamon Ryan', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)'}

Law Society of Ireland

May–August

[Justice and Equality] Office of the Director of Public Prosecution's (ODPP) Strategy Statement for 2025-2027

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Catherine Pierse', 'role': 'Director of Public Prosecutions (The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions)'} {'name': 'Marion Berry', 'role': 'Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions)'}

Law Society of Ireland

May–August

[Justice and Equality] Law Reform issues

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Barry Ward', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'}

Law Society of Ireland

May–August

[Economic Development and Industry] Electronic Commerce Act and Promoting the Use of E-Signatures

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Eamon Ryan', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)'} {'name': 'Patrick Neary', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)'}

Law Society of Ireland

May–August

[Justice and Equality] The E-Evidence Regulation (2023/1543)

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Helena Kiely', 'role': 'Chief Prosecution Solicitor (The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions)'}

Law Society of Ireland

May–August

[Housing] Recent changes to Land Registry registration practices effecting solicitors

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': "Liam O'Sullivan", 'role': 'Chief Executive Officer (Tailte Éireann )'}

Law Society of Ireland

May–August

[Economic Development and Industry] National Implementation of EU Harmonised Rules on Artificial Intelligence (AI Act)

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Peter Burke', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)'}

Law Society of Ireland

September–December

[Justice and Equality] Law Society policy priorities in the areas of justice and law reform

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Deirdre Gillane', 'role': 'Chief of Staff (Department of the Taoiseach)'} {'name': 'Charlotte Simpson', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of the Taoiseach)'}

Law Society of Ireland

September–December

[Finance] Law Society submission on Budget 2025

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Jack Chambers', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'John Hogan', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'Paschal Donohoe', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)'} {'name': 'David Moloney', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)'} {'name': "Fiona O'Connor", 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)'} + 11 more

Lobbying Tracker

Most Lobbied TDs