Politician(s) lobbied: Erin McGreehan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Jen Cummins (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Laura Harmon (Senator), Seanad
Intent: Information on plans for a mid-term review, and the next meetings or restructuring of the governance bodies, of the Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) strategy
Methods: Email
Details by Method
Email
Email to 3 members of the Joint Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (FHERIS) on 27 April 2026, suggesting 2 questions they could ask the Minister for FHERIS when he appeared before the Committee on 29 April 2026. The questions were: 'When will the ALL Oversight Group and National Literacy Coalition be meetingagain, or what is the plan for restructuring?' and 'What is the status of the ALL Strategy mid-term review, and what consultation is planned?'
Politician(s) lobbied: Deirdre McDonnell (Chief Executive Officer), Solas
Intent: Meeting with CEO of SOLAS
Methods: Social Media
Details by Method
Social Media
Linked in Direct message congratulating her on appointment, invite to 27 April NALA event, request to meet scheduled for 22 May to discuss status of ALL and FET Strategies, NALA's role and funding
Politician(s) lobbied: Marian Harkin (Minister of State), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Shauna Gourley (Adviser to Minister of State), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Intent: Meeting with Minister of State for Further Education
Methods: Email
Details by Method
Email
First email 23 April. Proposed agenda covers NALA funding; SOLAS review of eLearning services; ALL Strategy implementation
Politician(s) lobbied: Simon Harris (Tánaiste and Minister), Department of Foreign Affairs; Max Murphy (Special Adviser), Department of the Taoiseach
Intent: Meeting with Tánaiste
Methods: Email
Details by Method
Email
First email 20 March. Proposed agenda covers NALA funding; SOLAS review of eLearning services; ALL Strategy implementation and relationship to other strategies
Politician(s) lobbied: Marianne Cassidy (Assistant Secretary), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform
Intent: Literacy and inclusion focus in implementation of Ireland's Digital Public Services Plan 2030 and related strategies/policies
Methods: Meeting
Details by Method
Meeting
Virtual meeting 2 December between 3 NALA staff (Michelle Lynch, Communications, Outreach and Advocacy Manager; Claire O'Riordan, Plain English Co-ordinator; and Aoife Crawford, Research and Policy Officer), Mary O'Donoghue (Director of the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer) and Marianne Cassidy (Assistant Secretary, DPER)
Politician(s) lobbied: Jim O'Brien (Special Advisor), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Intent: We were seeking a meeting for updates from DFHERIS and SOLAS on the following:(1) Any plans to include a literacy focussed event in Ireland’s hosting of the EU presidency(2) The status of SOLAS’s review of Learn with NALA
Methods: Email
Details by Method
Email
Email sent 22 October, no reply received
Politician(s) lobbied: Jim O'Brien (Special Advisor), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Intent: 2026 Budget allocation for Ireland to participate in PIAAC Cycle 2
Methods: Email
Details by Method
Email
Email sent 29 September, allocation not made
Politician(s) lobbied: Nessa White (Executive Director), Solas
Intent: Additional funding
Methods: Submission
Details by Method
Submission
Meeting took place on 1 September 2026 to discuss the submission
Politician(s) lobbied: Eoghan Kenny (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas
Intent: General support for NALA's mission; relationship-building
Methods: Virtual Meeting
Details by Method
Virtual Meeting
Our CEO, Colleen Dube and Research and Policy Officer, Aoife Crawford met online with Deputy Eoghan Kenny on 16 May 2025
Politician(s) lobbied: James Lawless (Minister), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Marian Harkin (Minister of State), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Colm O'Reardon (Secretary General), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Jack Chambers (Minister), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform; Emer Higgins (Minister of State), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform; Colin Menton (Deputy Secretary General), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform; David Moloney (Secretary General), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform; Marianne Cassidy (Assistant Secretary), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform; John Kinnane (Assistant Secretary), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform; Barry O'Brien (Assistant Secretary), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform; Paschal Donohoe (Minister), Department of Finance; John Hogan (Secretary General), Department of Finance; John McCarthy (Chief Economist), Department of Finance; Erin McGreehan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; John Connolly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Frank Feighan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Maeve O'Connell (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Brendan Smith (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Paul Daly (Senator), Seanad; Dee Ryan (Senator), Seanad; Mike Kennelly (Senator), Seanad; Eoghan Kenny (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Laura Harmon (Senator), Seanad; Donna McGettigan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Pauline Tully (Senator), Seanad; Jen Cummins (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Paul Murphy (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Andrew Brownlee (Chief Executive Officer), Solas; Nessa White (Executive Director), Solas
Intent: Increased funding for adult literacy in Budget 2026, specifically for(1) adult literacy provision in ETBs(2) Learn with NALA(3) community education(4) PIAAC mid-cycle survey(5) plain language training in government departments
Methods: Submission
Details by Method
Submission
Our pre-budget submission was sent as attachment to email on 30 July to elected representatives and officials in:- Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science- Department of Finance- Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and DigitalisationAlso to members of the Oireachtas Committee on Further Education, Research, Innovation and Science, and senior staff in SOLAS.https://www.nala.ie/publications/our-asks-for-budget-2026/
