Irish Council for Civil Liberties (Irish Council for Civil Liberties)

Lobbying Organisation Irish Council for Civil Liberties

Date published 21 Sep, 2026

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Community

Period 1 May. 2026 to 31 Aug. 2026

Specific Details The AgoraEU programme in the budget negotiations for the EU long term budget

Intended results Adequate budget secured for AgoraEU.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Joe O'Brien

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)

Joe OBrien (Former DPO) Minister of State (Dáil Éireann, the Lower House of the Oireachtas)

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.

Email (2-5)

Emails on May 28th and June 17th requesting a meeting with Minister for State in the Department of Rural and Community Development. Email sent on May 22nd requesting a meeting with the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media of Ireland. Email sent on May 22nd requesting a meeting with the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Meeting (1)

Meeting on July 14th with the Minister of State in the Department of Rural and Community Development.

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.

Jerry Buttimer Minister of State (Department of Rural and Community Development)

Bairbre Nic Aongusa Assistant Secretary (Department of Rural and Community Development)

Patrick O'Donovan Minister (Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media)

Helen McEntee Minister (Department of Foreign Affairs)