Overwatch Report

BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited

January–April

[Finance] Engagements on capital markets developments (with a particular focus on retail investment in the domestic context and the future of financial markets (incl. tokenisation) in an international context). Engagements on the EU Savings and Investments Union initiatives including the Blueprint for a Savings and Investment Account, Market Integration and Supervision Package (MISP), Pan-European Personal Pension Product Review (PEPP 2.0) and Retail Investment Strategy (RIS).

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Robert Troy', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'Conor Glynn', 'role': 'Special Advisor to the Tanaiste (Department of the Taoiseach)'} {'name': 'Andrew Smith', 'role': 'Adviser to Minister of State (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'Clare Mungovan', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of the Taoiseach)'} {'name': 'Micheál Martin', 'role': 'Taoiseach (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Simon Harris', 'role': 'An Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)'} + 5 more

BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited

January–April

[Finance] EU Savings and Investment Union Strategy

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Micheál Martin', 'role': 'Taoiseach (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Paschal Donohoe', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'Michael J. McGrath', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'John Shaw', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of the Taoiseach)'}

BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited

January–April

[Finance] An introductory meeting to BlackRock’s operations in Ireland and discussion in relation to the Funds Review 2030.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Regina Doherty', 'role': 'MEP (European Parliament)'}

BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited

January–April

[Finance] National developments on retail investment and pensions

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Michael J. McGrath', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Finance)'}

BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited

January–April

[Finance] Meetings at Eurofi on capital markets and the European Commission’s Savings and Investments Union Strategy.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mary Elizabeth McMunn', 'role': 'Deputy Governor (Central Bank of Ireland)'} {'name': 'Gerry Cross', 'role': 'Director (Central Bank of Ireland)'}

BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited

January–April

[Finance] On 24 February 2025, BlackRock met with Gerry Cross with a view to building the relationship given the recent restructuring at the Central Bank and his new role as Director of the new Capital Markets and Funds Directorate. BlackRock responded to questions in relation to the Draghi Report and EU Financial Services regulation, the potential for a single supervisor in the EU, delegation and CP86. Mr. Cross also spoke briefly to changes to the Central Bank’s supervisory approach

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Gerry Cross', 'role': 'Director (Central Bank of Ireland)'}

BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited

January–April

[Finance] Discussion on Mr Michael J McGrath joining the Irish Funds and Asset and Management Steering Group (“IFAMSG”) (formerly known as the IFSC Funds Group). As the Minister for Finance was meeting with Mr Larry Fink, CEO and Chairman of BlackRock Inc., that visit also came up briefly.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Michael J. McGrath', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Finance)'}

BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited

May–August

[Finance] General discussion on macroeconomic developments and capital trends in the context of US trade policy dynamics.

Public Officials Lobbied

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

BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited

September–December

[Finance] Meetings on capital markets developments and the European Commission’s Savings and Investments Union Strategy

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Andrew Smith', 'role': 'Adviser to Minister of State (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'Robert Troy', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'John Shaw', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of the Taoiseach)'} {'name': 'Regina Doherty', 'role': 'MEP (European Parliament)'} {'name': 'Vasileios Madouros', 'role': 'Deputy Governor (Central Bank of Ireland)'} {'name': 'Michael McGrath', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Finance)'}

BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited

September–December

[Finance] Seeking clarification about the eligibility of Money Market Funds (“MMFs”) for holding safeguarding assets and/or client money

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Gerry Cross', 'role': 'Director (Central Bank of Ireland)'}

BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited

January–April

[EU Affairs] Capital Markets Union ("CMU")

Public Officials Lobbied

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

BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited

May–August

[EU Affairs] Capital Markets Union ("CMU")

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Neale Richmond', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'Michael J. McGrath', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Finance)'}

BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited

September–December

[Finance] In September 2024, BlackRock met with Michael McGrath, Assistant Secretary for Financial Services at the Department of Finance, to discuss the Draghi Report and EU Financial Services regulation, focusing on the EU Capital Markets Union (CMU), securitisation, sustainability, savings, and auto-enrolment in Ireland.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Michael J. McGrath', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Finance)'}

BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited

January–April

[EU Affairs] BlackRock met with Minister Donohoe at the IMF Spring Meetings and discussed the global economic environment and investment climate, and EU policy initiatives designed to grow European capital markets

Public Officials Lobbied

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

BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited

January–April

[Finance] BlackRock’s presence in Ireland and the Minister’s role in promoting Ireland as a financial centre. Topics covered included inward marketing, the development of European Capital Markets, and sustainability.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Jennifer Carroll MacNeill', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Finance)'}

BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited

January–April

[EU Affairs] BlackRock met with Minister McGrath on the margins of the Bloomberg New Economy Gateway conference in Dublin; we exchanged views on the global and European economic and investment climate.The discussion touched upon topical issues in the global economy such as the resilience of the banking sector, macroeconomic factors including inflation, as well as the energy transition in Europe and globally

Public Officials Lobbied

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

BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited

May–August

[Finance] BlackRock met with the Assistant Secretary General at the Department of Social Protection on the introduction of auto-enrolment in Ireland and discuss best practice from systems around the world and provide an overview of investment strategies.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Tim Duggan', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Social Protection)'}

BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited

September–December

[Finance] BlackRock met with Michael McGrath, Assistant Secretary for Financial Services, Department of Finance on 15 September 2023 to discuss the current agenda for EU Financial Services regulation, with a particular emphasis on the development of the EU Capital Markets Union (CMU), as well as key issues in the international work on financial stability and the resilience of market finance entities. In addition views were exchanged on the EU Retail Investment Strategy.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Michael J. McGrath', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Finance)'}

BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited

January–April

[Banking and Financial Institutions] In the meeting, we discussed the EU regulatory agenda – in particular, EU legislation relating to investment funds which is currently under consideration: AIFMD, UCITS, ELTIF and the upcoming review of the MMF Regulation.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Michael J. McGrath', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Finance)'}

BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited

May–August

[Finance] 13 June 2022: There was no lobbying as such as it was an Introductory meeting with Minister Donohoe and BlackRock senior regional and country leadership. We exchanged views on the current macroeconomic climate in Europe, as well as relevant EU economic policy debates.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Paschal Donohoe', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'Michael J. McGrath', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Finance)'}

BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited

September–December

[Banking and Financial Institutions] We shared views about the (at the time) ongoing disruption in UK gilt markets due to yield spikes caused by the announcement of the UK ‘Mini-budget’ and the effect this was having, in particular, on UK pension funds who used Liability Driven Investment (LDI) strategies.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Michael J. McGrath', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Finance)'}

BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited

September–December

[Banking and Financial Institutions] Global and EU Money Market Fund reform efforts

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Michael J. McGrath', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Finance)'}

Lobbying Tracker

Most Lobbied TDs