Politician(s) lobbied: Niamh Smyth (Minister of State), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Declan Hughes (Secretary General), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Intent: Minister Niamh Smyth was invited and accepted to do a welcome address at an IoD Ireland event on AI Governance. The Minister subsequently had to cancel due to illness on the day of the event. This IoD member event was for Independent Non-Executive Directors (NEDs). The event also featured an in-conversation session with Rachel Higham, former Chief Digital and Technology Officer at BT, WPP and Marks & Spencer. Held in Partnership with PwC Ireland.
Methods: Email
Details by Method
Email
An invitation email was issued to Minister Niamh Smyth. The Secretary General was also copied into this email.
Politician(s) lobbied: Doncha O’Sullivan (Assistant Secretary), Department of Justice
Intent: IoD participated in the open online survey that was consulting on the Draft National Cyber Security Strategy. We also added a note to flag as the leading membership body for directors and leaders in Ireland, we would share insight and information with our members under our remit to make Ireland an exemplar in corporate governance, which is inclusive of cyber security.
Methods: Submission
Details by Method
Submission
Please note this consultation was issued via the online submission element here: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-justice-home-affairs-and-migration/consultations/public-consultation-on-the-draft-national-cyber-security-strategy/
Politician(s) lobbied: Niamh Smyth (Minister of State), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Declan Hughes (Secretary General), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Intent: To share new IoD Ireland research, which addressed the perspectives of over 378 directors’ and business leaders’ views on AI Governance and competitiveness. The research was undertaken between 24 February – 6 March 2026.::Our new research provides a clear message: Irish leaders recognise the transformative potential of AI, but the pace of adoption is outstripping the development of governance, skills, and regulatory preparedness. With 61% organisations already using AI tools, boards must now ensure they have the literacy, guardrails, and oversight mechanisms required to deploy AI responsibly.
Methods: Email
Details by Method
Email
An email sharing the new research was issued via our CEO@iodireland.ie to Minister Niamh Smyth on 2nd April 2026.
Politician(s) lobbied: Thomas Byrne (Minister of State), Department of the Taoiseach
Intent: To share new IoD Ireland research, which addressed the perspectives of over 363 business leaders on the forthcoming Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union; as well as business sentiment going into 2026; and expected challenges for 2026. ::In this new research, we asked our 3,500 members, to prioritise what they feel the Government should prioritise in the upcoming Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The top priorities selected included: the simplification of regulation; the enhancement of global competitiveness and resolution of the negative impact of trade tariffs; and a deeper single market, notably for energy, finance, and telecommunications.
Methods: Meeting
Details by Method
Meeting
A meeting was had with Minister Byrne, Caroline Kinsella, Board and Member Services Director, IoD Ireland, and Anne Mannion, Head of Marketing and Communications, Research, Policy and Advocacy Lead, on Wednesday 25 February 2026.
Politician(s) lobbied: Joseph Hackett (Secretary General), Department of Foreign Affairs; Helen McEntee (Minister), Department of Foreign Affairs; Thomas Byrne (Minister of State), Department of the Taoiseach
Intent: To share new IoD Ireland research, which addressed the perspectives of over 363 business leaders on the forthcoming Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union; as well as business sentiment going into 2026; and expected challenges for 2026. ::In this new research, we asked our 3,500 members, to prioritise what they feel the Government should prioritise in the upcoming Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The top priorities selected included: the simplification of regulation; the enhancement of global competitiveness and resolution of the negative impact of trade tariffs; and a deeper single market, notably for energy, finance, and telecommunications.
Methods: Email
Details by Method
Email
A mail was issued to Minister McEntee and Minister Byrne sharing the research.
Politician(s) lobbied: Oonagh Buckley (Secretary General), Department of Environment, Climate and Communications; Feargal Ó Coigligh (Secretary General), Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media; Jacqui McCrum (Secretary General), Department of Defence; Bernie McNally (Secretary General), Department of Education; Declan Hughes (Secretary General), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; John Hogan (Secretary General), Department of Finance; Joseph Hackett (Secretary General), Department of Foreign Affairs; Colm O'Reardon (Secretary General), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Robert Watt (Secretary General), Department of Health; David Moloney (Secretary General), Department of Public Expenditure and Reform; Mary Hurley (Secretary General), Department of Rural and Community Development; Graham Doyle (Secretary General), Department of Justice; Patrick O'Donovan (Minister of State), Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media; Jack Chambers (Minister), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform
Intent: We launched our State Body Governance position paper presenting a set of strategic recommendations aimed at bolstering accountability, transparency, and oversight, with a focus on streamlining the 'Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies', and improving it to better include core principles and provisions in relation to governance. We shared these findings with Government Department Secretary Generals with the intended purposes of them reviewing & reflecting on the recommendations.
Methods: Email
Details by Method
Email
A mail was issued to all Government Department Secretary Generals sharing the paper. The IoD Ireland State Body Governance position paper presents a set of strategic recommendations aimed at bolstering accountability, transparency, and oversight, with a focus on streamlining the 'Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies', and improving it to better include core principles and provisions in relation to governance. This was issued on 23rd October 2025.
Email
A mail was sent to Minister Patrick O’Donovan, TD. Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport on 16th December sharing the recommendations of the IoD State Body Governance paper.
Politician(s) lobbied: Jack Chambers (Minister), Department of Finance
Intent: Engagement with Minister Chambers about the IoD Ireland paper on State Body Governance. We asked the Minister to reflect on our reflections and recommendations in the report on State Body Governance. The note asked for a meeting to engage, as well as further engagement to acknowledge the findings of the report in a foreword and a PR. Our media agency Q4 have also assisted with this engagement.
Methods: Email
Details by Method
Email
A follow up email and call was carried out by our media agency Q4 to the office of Minister Chambers in August.
Email
An email was sent on July from the IoD Ireland CEO to Minister Chambers, ccing relevant policy colleagues and the DPER Secretary General. This email included the final draft of the IoD Ireland state body governance paper. In the email, we outlined some of the main aims around the paper, and noted we would appreciate the opportunity to have a meeting to discuss this further.
Politician(s) lobbied: David Moloney (Secretary General), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform; Jack Chambers (Minister), Department of Finance
Intent: To brief Minister Chambers and the Secretary General of the Department of Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform about the IoD Ireland paper on State Body Governance.
Methods: MeetingEmail
Details by Method
Meeting
A meeting took place with the Secretary General and Kevin O'Brien to brief them on the recommendations and findings in the new IoD State Body governance paper on 24th March. A second meeting was held with Kevin O'Brien and Patricia Hennessy to discuss the findings further on 24th April.
Email
An email was sent on 19th February from the IoD Ireland CEO to Minister Chambers, ccing relevant policy colleagues and the DPER Secretary General. This email included the final draft of the IoD Ireland state body governance paper. In the email, we outlined some of the main aims around the paper, and noted we would appreciate the opportunity to have a meeting to discuss this further.
Politician(s) lobbied: Kevin O’Brien (Head of Governance & Public Affairs), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform
Intent: To brief a contact from the the Department of Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform about a new IoD Ireland white paper on State Body Governance.
Methods: Meeting
Details by Method
Meeting
An online meeting was arranged with Kevin O’Brien, Head of Government Accounting, Department of Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, to brief the department on the IoD Ireland state body governance white paper.
Politician(s) lobbied: Unknown
Intent: Unknown
Methods: Unknown
Details by Method
Method not specified
Unknown
