Overwatch Report

Age Action

May–August

[Health] Communication to Minister Butler and O'Brien about the proposed changes to the treatment of residents' rental income under the Nursing Home Support Scheme.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mary Butler', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Health)'} {'name': "Darragh O'Brien", 'role': 'Minister (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'}

Immigrant Council of Ireland

May–August

[Community] Community Engagement for Ukrainians

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Joe O'Brien", 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)'} {'name': 'Anne Marie McNally', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Rural and Community Development)'}

Society of St. Vincent de Paul

May–August

[Housing] Engagement with elected officials on homeless prevention measures

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Darragh O'Brien", 'role': 'Minister (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': 'Owen Keegan', 'role': 'CEO (Dublin City Council)'} {'name': 'Graham Doyle', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'}

Immigrant Council of Ireland

May–August

[Community] Communications & Community Engagement

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Elizabeth Canavan', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of the Taoiseach)'}

Vincent Jennings/Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association (CSNA)

May–August

[Finance] Seeking amendments to Finance Bill to decriminalise the sale of tobacco products at a rate higher than the "notified" price

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Michael McGrath', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Finance)'}

Vincent Jennings/Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association (CSNA)

May–August

[Budgetary matters] CSNA would like to see Accelerated Capital Allowances made available to offset initial costs associated with acquiring Reverse vending machines in line with Programme for Government policy of initiating a Deposit Return Scheme.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Neale Richmond', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)'}

Vincent Jennings/Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association (CSNA)

May–August

[Health] CSNA needed to brief the Department of Health regarding the need to consider using Revenue rather than HSE as designated collector of Licence fees and some additional observations regarding the proposed tobacco licence

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Paul Melia', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of the Taoiseach)'}

Age Action

May–August

[Budgetary matters] Age Action's submissions on Budget 2024

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Ged Nash', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Seán Canney', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Ireland

May–August

[Children and Youth Affairs] JRS Ireland attended and participated in all 'NGO Stakeholder Engagement Forum on Ukraine' meetings during the period under review.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Carol Baxter', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)'} {'name': "Joe O'Brien", 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Rural and Community Development)'}

Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Ireland

May–August

[Children and Youth Affairs] During May - June 2023, JRS Ireland engaged with senior departmental officials in relation to a cohort of homeless international protection applicants temporarily having recourse to accessing accommodation in an unoccupied building in Dublin city centre.

Public Officials Lobbied

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

Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Ireland

May–August

[Justice and Equality] In May 2023, JRS Ireland engaged with officials from the International Protection Office (IPO) and International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) to facilitate a group of former IPAS residents attend the IPO, commence their applications for international protection and access transfers to appropriate IPAS accommodation.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'David Delaney', 'role': 'Director (Department of Justice)'}

Alliance of Age Sector NGOs

May–August

[Health] Positive ageing; Services for Older People; Ageism; The call to establish an Independent Commissioner for Ageing and Older People.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Meeting All Oireachtas Members', 'role': 'Cross party group of TDs and Senators attending open-invitation meeting at the Audio Visual (AV) Room, Leinster House.'}

Dara Residential Services

May–August

[Health] Wages and inflation costs for Section 39 workers and organisation. Budget 2023

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Letter All TDs', 'role': 'Disability budget 2023 and Section 39 pay'} {'name': 'Catherine Murphy', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Bernard Durkan', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Anne Rabbitte', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'James Lawless', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

ALONE

May–August

[Health] Action plan for loneliness; Commissioner for Ageing and Older People; additional mental health supports for older people; housing with Support

Public Officials Lobbied

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

Irish Hospital Consultants Association

May–August

[Health] Professional fees payable by the State Claims Agency which were reduced under Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest legislation

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Shirley Comerford', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)'} {'name': 'Colin Menton', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)'} {'name': 'David Moloney', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)'}

ALONE

May–August

[Housing] Housing policy for older people, Housing Choices for our Ageing Population Joint Policy Statement

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Ivana Bacik', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Social Innovation Growth Fund Ireland Limited trading as Rethink Ireland.

May–August

[Health] Request for a meeting to discuss ageing strategy

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mary Butler', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Mary Butler', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Health)'}

Society of St. Vincent de Paul

May–August

[Social Protection] Engagement with elected officials on the operation of the Community Employment Scheme

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Kieran O'Donnell", 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': "Joe O'Brien", 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Rural and Community Development)'}

Limerick Chamber

May–August

[Housing] Raise concerns around practice of bulk-buying of homes from the Limerick housing market by agencies of the state

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Pat Daly', 'role': 'Chief Executive Officer (Limerick City and County Council)'} {'name': 'Gordon Daly', 'role': 'Director of Services or Equivalent (Limerick City and County Council)'} {'name': 'Brian Kennedy', 'role': 'Director of Services or Equivalent (Limerick City and County Council)'} {'name': 'Vincent Murray', 'role': 'Director of Services or Equivalent (Limerick City and County Council)'} {'name': "Darragh O'Brien", 'role': 'Minister (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': 'Kevin Dillon', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} + 1 more

The Alzheimer Society of Ireland

May–August

[Health] To engage with the Minister regarding The ASI Pre-Budget Submission 2024

Public Officials Lobbied

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

Bank of Ireland Group plc

May–August

[Banking and Financial Institutions] To brief on a range of matters including Bank of Ireland’s refreshed corporate strategy, 2022 Annual Results, ESG progress, support for home building, activity in the mortgage market, the public consultation on the banking levy, reporting requirements, and the benefits of a more efficient process for the issuance of covered bonds.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'John Hogan', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Finance)'}

Bank of Ireland Group plc

May–August

[Banking and Financial Institutions] Participation in a Department of Finance Industry Roundtable to discuss the sector’s support for mortgage customers.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Paul O'Brien (Former DPO)", 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of the Taoiseach)'} {'name': 'Michael McGrath', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'Oliver Gilvarry', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Finance)'}

Diageo Ireland

May–August

[Tourism] A meeting to discuss the progress of the Horse-Drawn Carriages Bill

Public Officials Lobbied

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

Irish Tax Institute

May–August

[Taxation] Text message and phone call to special adviser to Minister for Finance to understand a media report about the Minister's intention to make a significant statement on Corporation tax in mid September.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Cathy Herbert (Former DPO)', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'Kevin Barrett', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)'}

Friends of the Earth

May–August

[Communications] Media Committee meeting re RTE coverage of climate

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Annie Hoey', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Fintan Warfield', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': "Christopher O'Sullivan", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Irish District Energy Association

September–December

[Energy and Natural Resources] IrDEA coordinated a fact finding trip to a range of sites in Denmark over the course of 4 days to demonstrate how district energy is delivered in Denmark. Sites included: ARC – Amager Ressourcecenter, Copenhagen; Fjernvarme Fyn A/S, Odense; Danfoss Global Headquarters, Nordborg; MAN Energy Solutions heatpump facility, Esbjerg; LOGSTOR District Heating Solutions manufacturing facility in Logstor; Aalborg CSP A/S PETS system, Dronninglund.

Public Officials Lobbied

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

Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association

May–August

[Agriculture] Tillage Forum

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Bill Callanan', 'role': 'Chief Inspector (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)'} {'name': 'Louise Byrne', 'role': 'Deputy Chief Inspector (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)'}

Q4PR

on behalf of Yes (client not named)

May–August

[Environment] Correspondence and engagement with Irish MEPS regarding ETS and CBAM reform proposals and implications for the cement manufacturing sector in Ireland.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Barry Andrews', 'role': 'MEP (European Parliament)'} {'name': 'Billy Kelleher', 'role': 'MEP (European Parliament)'} {'name': 'Frances Fitzgerald', 'role': 'MEP (European Parliament)'} {'name': 'Deirdre Clune', 'role': 'MEP (European Parliament)'} {'name': 'Sean Kelly', 'role': 'MEP (European Parliament)'} {'name': 'Ciarán Cuffe', 'role': 'MEP (European Parliament)'} + 4 more

Q4PR

on behalf of Yes (client not named)

September–December

[Development and Zoning] Engagement with Cllrs and Oireachtas Members regarding barriers to progressing with residential and commercial development within Cherrywood SDZ

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Jim Gildea', 'role': 'Councillor (Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council)'} {'name': 'Barry Saul', 'role': 'Councillor (Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council)'} {'name': 'Marie Baker', 'role': 'Councillor (Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council)'} {'name': 'Mary Fayne', 'role': 'Councillor (Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council)'} {'name': "Denis O'Callaghan", 'role': 'Councillor (Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council)'} {'name': 'Eva-Elizabeth Dowling', 'role': 'Councillor (Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council)'} + 37 more

Autism Spectrum Information, Advice and Meeting Point Ltd, Trading as AsIAm

May–August

[Health] Engaged with Minister's Office on implementation of Autism Innovation Strategy

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Noel Byrne', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Health)'} {'name': 'Anne Rabbitte', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)'}

Lobbying Tracker

Most Lobbied TDs