Trinity College Dublin Students' Union

Lobbying Organisation Trinity College Dublin Students' Union

Date published 21 Sep, 2026

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Education and Training

Period 1 May. 2026 to 31 Aug. 2026

Specific Details Funding for the Irish language and the recruitment target for Irish speakers in the Official Languages Act

Intended results The focus was on the recruitment target in the Official Languages Act 2003: 20% of recruits to the public sector must be proficient in Irish by December 2030, a figure that does not seem achievable at the moment, due to a lack of funding and a lack of irish language courses through college.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Mary Kate Ní Artáin, Oifigeach na Gaeilge, Aontas Mac Léinn Choláiste na Tríonóide

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.

Lobby day (1)

Mary Kate Ní Artáin attended a lobbying event on July 1st called SEAS, organised by Conradh na Gaeilge. The event took place in Buswells Hotel and spoke to Cathy Bennett, Matt Carthy, and David Maxwell about Gael-Ollscolaíocht, funding for the Irish language and the recruitment target for Irish speakers in the Official Languages Act.

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.

Matt Carthy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)