Irish Exporters Association

Lobbying Organisation Irish Exporters Association

Date published 18 Sep, 2025

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Trade

Period 1 May, 2025 to 31 Aug, 2025

Specific Details Government Consultative Group on Trade to engage with government of the latest and emerging trade developments and opportunties.

Intended results Share our industry expertise to inform Ireland's trade policy and exchange views with other stakeholders on country and regional specific developments.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Simon McKeever

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Meeting (2-5)

The IEA has attended and contributed to three meetings of the Government Trade Forum. These regular meetings involve government and industry stakeholders as well as many of the DPO's outlined below.

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Simon Harris Tánaiste and Minister (Department of Foreign Affairs)

James Lawless Minister (Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science)

Niamh Smyth Minister of State (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)

Martin Heydon Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Joe Hackett Assistant Secretary (Department of Foreign Affairs)

Brendan Gleeson Secretary General (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Declan Hughes Secretary General (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)

Ronnie Downes Assistant Secretary (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)

John McCarthy Chief Economist (Department of Finance)

Stephen Kinsella Special Adviser (Department of the Taoiseach)

Thomas Byrne Minister of State (Department of the Taoiseach)