Irish Universities Association

Politician(s) lobbied: Deirdre Gillane (Chief of Staff), Department of the Taoiseach; Abigail Ruth Freeman (Director of Science), Science Foundation Ireland; Micheál Martin (Tánaiste and Minister), Department of the Taoiseach; Jack Chambers (Minister), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform; James Lawless (Minister), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Peter Burke (Minister), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Simon Harris (Tánaiste and Minister), Department of Finance; John Callinan (Secretary General), Department of the Taoiseach; Malcolm Byrne (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Ivana Bacik (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Joe Hackett (Assistant Secretary), Department of Foreign Affairs; Colm O'Reardon (Secretary General), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Doncha O'Sullivan (Secretary General), Department of Justice

Intent: Seeking co-operation from department with the IUA to source funding, policy objectives, recognition of the priorities of the sector, and how IUA can contribute to the Ministers and Government agendas.

Methods: EmailLetterMeeting

Politician(s) lobbied: Mairéad Farrell (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas

Intent: Parliamentary Questions to be raised with the Minister Public Expenditure

Methods: Email

Politician(s) lobbied: Donna McGettigan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Brendan Smith (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Laura Harmon (Senator), Seanad

Intent: Increased funding allocation for higher education in Budget 2027

Methods: Informal communication

Politician(s) lobbied: Keith Moynes (Assistant Secretary), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

Intent: Increased funding allocation for higher education sector in Budget 2027

Methods: Meeting

Politician(s) lobbied: Maeve O'Connell (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Cormac Devlin (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas

Intent: bringing awareness of IUA pre-budget submission to TDs, detailed briefing to them

Methods: Email

Politician(s) lobbied: William Beausang (Assistant Secretary), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

Intent: Ongoing structured engagement on doctoral funding and programme development

Methods: Informal communication

Politician(s) lobbied: William Beausang (Assistant Secretary), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

Intent: Obtaining sectoral input on development and implementation of the programmes, sectoral engagement on review and development of national doctoral education policy, and support for a co ordinated national approach to bio banking infrastructure and capability

Methods: Informal communication

Politician(s) lobbied: Paul Lemass (Assistant Secretary), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

Intent: Sought an explicit exemption for university-owned purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), noting that university accommodation does not contribute to the private rental market, that registration of individual rooms/units would be operationally impractical, and that summer lettings are an essential component of the student accommodation funding model.

Methods: Email

Politician(s) lobbied: Erin McGreehan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Maeve O'Connell (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; John Connolly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Frank Feighan (Minister of State), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform; Eoghan Kenny (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Donna McGettigan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Paul Murphy (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Brendan Smith (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Paul Daly (Senator), Seanad; Laura Harmon (Senator), Seanad; Mike Kennelly (Senator), Seanad; Dee Ryan (Senator), Seanad; Pauline Tully (Senator), Seanad; Rose Conway-Walsh (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Malcolm Byrne (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Ivana Bacik (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Holly Cairns (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Mary Lou McDonald (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Roderic O'Gorman (Minister), Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; Peadar Tóibín (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Richard Boyd Barrett (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; James O'Connor (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Verona Murphy (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; John Lahart (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Matt Carthy (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Gary Gannon (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Paula Butterly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Mairéad Farrell (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas

Intent: To secure political recognition of the strategic value of international students to Ireland and support for policies that strengthen Ireland's position as a leading destination for international education

Methods: Letter

Politician(s) lobbied: Colm O'Reardon (Secretary General), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; James Lawless (Minister), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Keith Moynes (Assistant Secretary), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

Intent: To secure recognition of the university sector's priorities in the development and implementation of Government higher education policy and to strengthen collaboration between DFHERIS and the Irish Universities Association on shared strategic objectives

Methods: Meeting