Irish Cancer Society

Lobbying Organisation Irish Cancer Society

Date published 21 Jan, 2026

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Health

Period 1 Sep, 2025 to 31 Dec, 2025

Specific Details Budget 2026

Intended results To discuss funding allocation for the National Cancer Strategy post-Budget announcement To seek further information on how funds will be allocated to cancer services in 2026 To arrange a meeting with Department of Health officials To meet with Department of Health officials To raise need for clarity on how much funding cancer care and cancer services received in Budget 2026

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Averil Power, Steve Dempsey, Emma Harte

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?) Yes

Current or Former Designated Public Official(s)

Averil Power (Former DPO) Senator (Seanad)

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.

Phone call (2-5)

Phone call with the Minister for Health, 09.10.25; phone call with Bríd Murphy, 12.12.25

Meeting (2-5)

Meeting with Deputy Naoise O'Cearúil, 06.11.25; meeting with Ministerial advisor and assistant secretaries at the Dept for Health, 20.10.25; Meeting with Bríd Murphy, 30.10.25;

Email (2-5)

Emails to arrange meeting logistics, 20.10.25

Informal communication (6-10)

Text to Deputy Alan Kelly, 06.10.25; texts to Sarah Bardon, 07.10.25; text to Stephen Foley, 09.25

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.

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill Minister (Department of Health)

Naoise O'Cearúil TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Stephen Foley Special Adviser (Department of Health)

Louise McGirr Assistant Secretary (Department of Health)

Tracey Conroy Assistant Secretary (Department of Health)

Bríd Murphy Special Adviser (Department of the Taoiseach)

Alan Kelly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Sarah Bardon Chief of Staff (Department of the Taoiseach)

Stephen Foley Special Adviser (Department of Health)