Alcohol Forum Ireland

Lobbying Organisation Alcohol Forum Ireland

Date published 21 Sep, 2025

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Health

Period 1 May, 2025 to 31 Aug, 2025

Specific Details Campaign to ensure that alcohol is meaningfully included as a priority in the new National Drugs Strategy in development in the Department of Health

Intended results Alcohol included as a clear and named priority in the new National Drugs Strategy including clear actions and a commitment by Government to ensure that resources are ringfenced to allow for delivery of the named actions.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Paula Leonard

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? Yes

What is the directive you gave to the grassroots campaigners? Organised a social media campaign with 5 clear messages. Developed a briefing document provided to grassroots campaigners and all members of the Oireachtas. Preparation of letters circulated to all 72 members of the Coalition for Better Alcohol Policy to support them in their advocacy with elected representatives.

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Mass communications

Letter All Oireachtas Members Letter and briefing document circulated to all Oireachtas members seeking support for the Coalition for Better Alcohol Policy's campaign to ensure meaningful inclusion of alcohol as a named priority in the new national drugs strategy.

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Letter (6-10)

Member organisations who had signed up to the Coalition for Better alcohol policy were supported to write to TD's and Senators in their constituency regarding the need for inclusion of alcohol as a priority in the new national drugs strategy.

Email (2-5)

Member organisations in north Dublin who had signed up to the Coalition for Better Alcohol Policy were supported to write Paul McCauliffe TD in their constituency to seek a meeting.

Letter (2-5)

Letter and a series of follow up communications with the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill requesting a meeting with a delegation from the Coalition for Better Alcohol Policy.

Letter (2-5)

Letter and a series of follow up communications with the Minister for Health Promotion and the National Drugs Strategy requesting a meeting with a delegation from the Coalition for Better Alcohol Policy.

Email (2-5)

Written correspondence to Deputy Paul McCauliffe TD, with regard to the submission of a number of PQ's requesting that the Minister for Health and the Minister for Health Promotion for the National Drugs Strategy would meet with a delegation from the Coalition for Better Alcohol Policy; seeking clarity on the timeline for the publication of the Strategy and seeking clarity on the inclusion of alcohol in the new national drug strategy.

Letter (1)

Written correspondence to the Clerk of the Oireachtas Health Committee asking that the Coalition for Better Alcohol Policy be invited to appear before the Committee on matters relating to the inclusion of alcohol in the new national drugs strategy.

Email (11-20)

Written correspondence to the Chair and members of the Oireachtas Health Committee outlining concerns of the Coalition for Better Alcohol Policy and asking that the Coalition's request to appear before the Committee would be supported.

Meeting (1)

Online meeting on July 3rd of Paula Leonard with Paul McCauliffe TD and four members of the Coalition for Better Alcohol Policy

Phone call (2-5)

Follow up by phone from written correspondence to Senator Aubrey McCarthy to ask that he would raise matters relating to the inclusion of alcohol in the new national drug strategy in the Seanad. Matters raised by Senator McCarthy.

Meeting (1)

Online meeting with Deputy Padraig Rice TD regarding a number of issues relating to the campaign of the Coalition for Better Alcohol Policy. A number of issues were discussed: Parlimentary questions Oireachtas Health Committee Organisation of a AV Oireachtas Briefing

Email (2-5)

Follow up to response in June from Deputy Shay Brennan TF to email and policy document sent as part of mass communication circulated to all Oireachtas members in June. Deputy Brennan indicated that he would raise matters within the Fianna Fail party

Email (2-5)

Follow up to response from Deputy Coppinger to our email and policy document sent as part of mass communication circulated to all Oireachtas members in June. Deputy Coppinger indicated that she would raise Parlimentary Questions in regard to the matters raised.

Email (2-5)

Numbers of emails sent and received from and by Alcohol Forum Ireland colleagues seeking that Senator Manus Boyle support the Coalition For Better Alcohol Policy's request to appear before the Oireachtas Health Committee. Positive responses received from Senator Boyle

Email (2-5)

Numbers of emails sent to Donegal Deputies Padraig McLoughlin and Pearse Doherty seeking support for the Coalition for Better Alcohol Policy from Donegal members of the Coalition

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.

Paul McAuliffe TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Sinéad Gibney TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Aubrey McCarthy Senator (Seanad)

Patricia Stephenson Senator (Seanad)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill Minister (Department of Health)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Shay Brennan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Ruth Coppinger TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Manus Boyle Senator (Seanad)

Pearse Doherty TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Padráig Mac Lochlainn TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)