Overwatch Report

Irish Rural Link Co-Operative Society Limited

September–December

[Community] CV Pillar meeting with Minister Thomas Byrne as part of the consultation on Ireland's EU Presidency in 2026

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Thomas Byrne', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Foreign Affairs)'}

Irish Rural Link Co-Operative Society Limited

September–December

[Public Expenditure and Reform] CV Pillar Bilateral meeting with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Colin Menton', 'role': 'Deputy Secretary General (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)'}

Irish Rural Link Co-Operative Society Limited

September–December

[Justice and Equality] Attended CV Pillar Bilateral meeting with Department of Children Disability and Equality

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Carol Baxter', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)'}

Society of St. Vincent de Paul

September–December

[Social Protection] Engagement with Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "John Paul O'Shea", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Louise O'Reilly", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Mark Wall', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Maria McCormack', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'William Aird', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Catherine Ardagh', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 4 more

Irish Rural Link Co-Operative Society Limited

September–December

[Health] C&V Bilateral Meeting with Department of Health

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'David Leach', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary General (Department of Health)'}

Society of St. Vincent de Paul

September–December

[Social Protection] Bilateral meeting the Dept of Social Protection officials as part of Community & Voluntary Pillar

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Teresa Leonard', 'role': 'Deputy Secretary (Department of Social Protection)'} {'name': 'Rónán Hession', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Social Protection)'} {'name': 'Ciaran Lawler', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Social Protection)'}

Irish Rural Link Co-Operative Society Limited

September–December

[Social Protection] C&V Pillar Bilateral meeting with Department of Social Protection

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Teresa Leonard', 'role': 'Deputy Secretary (Department of Social Protection)'}

Irish Council for Civil Liberties

September–December

[Community] Democracy and Civil Society

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Email All Oireachtas Members', 'role': 'Email invite event sent to all Oireachtas Members on 12 November 2025.'} {'name': 'Pádraig Rice', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Rory Hearne', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Bairbre Nic Aongusa', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Rural and Community Development)'}

Law Society of Ireland

September–December

[Justice and Equality] The Law Society provided a presentation to members of the Oireachtas on the General Scheme of the International Protection Bill 2025.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Gary Gannon', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'James Geoghegan', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Jennifer Whitmore', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Ciarán Ahern', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Eoin Hayes', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Alice-Mary Higgins', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} + 1 more

Law Society of Ireland

September–December

[Employment] The Law Society provided a submission to the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment public consultation on proposed changes to the Companies Act 2014 and related legislation

Public Officials Lobbied

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

Law Society of Ireland

September–December

[Justice and Equality] Convention in relation to the Protection of the Lawyer into domestic law.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Barry Ward', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Jim O'Callaghan", 'role': 'Minister (Department of Justice)'}

Law Society of Ireland

September–December

[Foreign Affairs] The Law Society provided a submission in response to the Department of Foreign Affairs consultation on the Priorities and Policy Programme for Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2026.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (former DPO) (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Advisor to the Tanaiste (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Simon Harris', 'role': 'Tánaiste and Minister (Department of Foreign Affairs)'}

Nasc Ireland

September–December

[Justice and Equality] Part of coalition organising coordinated email action to request supporters to email their local TDs requesting changes to the upcoming International Protection Bill 2025 to introduce safeguards proposed by the civil society Coalition on the EU Migration Pact.

Law Society of Ireland

September–December

[Finance] Letter which provided an analysis of the different cost components of a motor insurance premium and an employers' liability and public liability premium.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (former DPO) (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Advisor to the Tanaiste (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Robert Troy', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)'}

Law Society of Ireland

September–December

[Taxation] The Law Society provided a submission on the Finance (Tax Appeals and Fiscal Responsibility) Bill in response to a consultation from the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mairéad Farrell', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Law Society of Ireland

September–December

[Justice and Equality] The Law Society provided a submission on the General Scheme of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences, Domestic Violence and International Instruments) Bill 2025 to the Joint Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Matt Carthy', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Society of St. Vincent de Paul

September–December

[Social Protection] Informing of new MESL research publications

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Catherine Ardagh', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Frances Black', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'John Brady', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Dara Calleary', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Social Protection)'} {'name': 'David Cullinane', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Pearse Doherty', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 21 more

Law Society of Ireland

September–December

[Employment] Law Society response to the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment's public consultation and survey on the European Union’s Platform Work Directive

Public Officials Lobbied

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

Law Society of Ireland

September–December

[Agriculture] The Law Society sent a letter to both the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine in relation to the Report of the Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Martin Heydon', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)'} {'name': 'Paschal Donohoe', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Finance)'}

Society of St. Vincent de Paul

September–December

[Social Protection] Distribution of Budget 2026 MESL Impact Briefing

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Catherine Ardagh', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Frances Black', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'John Brady', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Dara Calleary', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Social Protection)'} {'name': 'David Cullinane', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Pearse Doherty', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 21 more

Law Society of Ireland

September–December

[Justice and Equality] Discussed the following topics with the Department of Justice: - Courts reform including the implementation of the Mediation Council - Civil legal aid - Law reform including the Civil Reform Bill and eConveyancing - The profession generally, including access to the profession and legal deserts.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (former DPO) (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Advisor to the Tanaiste (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Andrew Munro', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Justice)'} {'name': "Stjohn O'Connor", 'role': 'Director (Department of Justice)'}

Queen's University Belfast

September–December

[Education and Training] Various correspondence between Queen's University Belfast and the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science of Ireland, James Lawless TD, in relation to the Irish Cabinet approval of Dundalk Institute of Technology becoming a college of Queen's University Belfast.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'James Lawless', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science)'}

Irish Rural Link Co-Operative Society Limited

September–December

[Budgetary matters] Attended Post Budget Briefing held by Department of Social Protection to outline changes to Social Welfare Payments announced in the Budget and the impact it will have on the communities and people we represent

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Teresa Leonard', 'role': 'Deputy Secretary (Department of Social Protection)'} {'name': 'Rónán Hession', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Social Protection)'}

Law Society of Ireland

September–December

[Justice and Equality] The Law Society sent a letter to the Minister for Justice in relation to potential solicitor representation on the Family Justice Implementation Group

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Jim O'Callaghan", 'role': 'Minister (Department of Justice)'}

Law Society of Ireland

September–December

[Public Expenditure and Reform] The Law Society provided its pre-Budget submission to Government (in conjunction with a Technical Submission sent to Government in August) that called for stronger Government to focus on the need for sustainable investment in the justice system to improve its accessibility and the experience for individuals and businesses

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Deirdre Gillane', 'role': 'Chief of Staff (Department of the Taoiseach)'} {'name': 'John Callinan', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of the Taoiseach)'} {'name': 'Micheál Martin', 'role': 'Taoiseach (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Simon Harris', 'role': 'Tánaiste and Minister (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Joanne Lonergan', 'role': 'Chief of Staff (Department of the Taoiseach)'} {'name': 'Sarah Bardon', 'role': 'Chief of Staff (Department of the Taoiseach)'} + 8 more

Queen's University Belfast

September–December

[Education and Training] Queen's University hosted the Universities Ireland conference on 10 October. The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science of Ireland, James Lawless TD, provided a video address at the conference.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'James Lawless', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science)'}

Law Society of Ireland

September–December

[Taxation] A broad range of issues related to business taxation are discussed at these Business Taxation Stakeholder Forum (BTSF) meetings. Technical and administrative matters arise, but legislation and policy are also discussed.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (former DPO) (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Advisor to the Tanaiste (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Sinead Ryan', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Finance)'}

Irish Rural Link Co-Operative Society Limited

September–December

[Budgetary matters] Attended CV Pillar meeting with Minister for Finance and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in advance of Budget 2026

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Jack Chambers', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)'} {'name': 'Paschal Donohoe', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Finance)'}

Law Society of Ireland

September–December

[Taxation] A broad range of taxation matters related to Tax Audits are discussed at these TALC subcommittee meetings, many technical and administrative matters arise, but legislation and policy can also be relevant.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mark Garrett (former DPO) (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Advisor to the Tanaiste (Department of Foreign Affairs)'} {'name': 'Emily Swift', 'role': 'Assistant Secretaries or Equivalent Grades (The Office of the Revenue Commissioners)'}

BeLonG To Youth Services Ltd.

September–December

[Children and Youth Affairs] Meeting to explore what ways Irish civil society can engage with the upcoming EU Presidency to shine a light on democracy across the EU in particular with regards to equality, LGBTQ+ rights and online safety.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Barry Ward', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Lobbying Tracker

Most Lobbied TDs