Retail Excellence Ireland (Retail Excellence Servies Limited)

Lobbying Organisation Retail Excellence Ireland

Date published 22 Sep, 2026

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Budgetary matters

Period 1 May. 2026 to 31 Aug. 2026

Specific Details Retail Excellence Ireland Pre-Budget Submission 2027: employer PRSI, youth employment and minimum wage/Living Wage methodology

Intended results An employer PRSI offset for retail in Budget 2027, announced alongside the 2027 minimum wage decision. Zero employer PRSI for workers under 25. A review of the Living Wage benchmark methodology. Supporting asks: a grant for retail premises, funding for the Retail Crime Strategy, a National Training Fund retail skills programme, and first steps on regulatory reform.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Jean McCabe

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? From 14 Aug 2026 REI asked member retailers to meet or contact their local TDs and councillors before 15 Sept, using a member lobby pack and TD contact list, to press for an employer PRSI cut on lower wages to offset recent wage increases, zero employer PRSI for workers under 25, and a review of the Living Wage methodology. Members were asked to log each contact. A National Day of Action with local TDs was set for 11 Sept.

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (6-10)

Pre-Budget Submission 2027, with covering letters, sent to the Tanaiste and Minister for Finance and to Ministers Chambers, Calleary and Burke (copied to Minister Dillon). It asked for meetings in September. The submission was also sent to the Minister for Finance's office for Special Adviser Clare Mungovan. Follow-up to Minister Chambers' office on 26 Aug requesting a meeting.

Email (1)

Emailto Tanaiste and Minister for Finance on the Pre-Budget Submission. The Minister's office arranged a meeting with Special Adviser Clare Mungovan and Department of Finance officials instead (held 1 Sept 2026).

Email (1)

Letter to Minister of State Alan Dillon asking him to meet REI member retailers in Mayo to discuss the Pre-Budget Submission 2027 (employer PRSI offset, under-25 PRSI, Living Wage methodology review).

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 Finance)

Jack Chambers Minister (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)

Dara Calleary Minister (Department of Social Protection)

Peter Burke Minister (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)

Alan Dillon Minister of State (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)

Clare Mungovan Special Adviser (Department of Finance)