Marc Coleman

Lobbying Organisation Marc Coleman

Date published 14 Jul, 2021

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Public Expenditure and Reform

Period 1 Jan, 2021 to 30 Apr, 2021

Specific Details Request for extension of deadline for tender 181313 from 6 January to account for unanticipated lockdown and to enable more SMEs to compete for tender

Intended results The tender was notified just before Christmas with a deadline announced for 6 January. I intended to obtain a deadline extension to allow more small businesses to participate in the tender to account for the unanticipated resumption of lockdown post Christmas.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Marc Coleman

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.

Email (2-5)

These emails were sent between the 5th January and 12th of January to effect an extention in a deadline for a competitive tender to enable greater SME participation as a point of fair play (the notification pre Christmas and short deadline made it very difficult for smaller consultancies to bid for this). I refrained from bidding for this to avoid any conflict of interest myself. After emailing the Department and failing to get an extension I notified Ossian Smyth as both Minister of State and my local TD.

Virtual Meeting (1)

Virtual meeting with Sinn Féin TDs on 9th February to promote greater accessibility to public procurement opportunities for small business and Irish language speakers.

Informal communication (2-5)

Text to Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (February) to promote awareness of appointment of Dr. Ngozi Konjo Iweala as Director General of World Trade Organisation and of Ireland's opportunity to promote ethical sustainable trade between the EU and Africa, Text to Minister of State (Colm Brophy) to promote pro bono voluntary initiative to create Ireland Africa Business Council to promote ethical sustainable trade with Africa.

Informal communication (1)

Text to Simon Harris (8 March) congratulating his Department for encouraging Apprenticeship and urging a shift in resources to employment friendly employer led Further Education and Training.

Informal communication (1)

Text to Minister of State Robert Troy and Cormac Devlin TD urging greater private sector representation on public policy advisory bodies such as the Company Law Review Group.

Informal communication (31-50)

Inclusion of Ministers, Ministers of State and TDs in weekly briefings and tweets (Jan -April) promoting more responsive policies to assist small business in pandemic, more inclusion of private sector voice in policy formation, Ireland's leadership potential in Green Finance, reduced bureaucracy and greater access to procurement opportunity for SMEs, raising awareness of risks of unsustainable debt levels etc. All but 2 were entirely pro bono and in public interest. Two specific policy proposals related to client advocacy were circulated on linkedin to promote resourcing at local authority level of improved design in "town/village centered recovery" (March 19th social media to Michael McGrath, Paschal Donohoe and Eamonn Ryan related to consultancy for Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland & investment in Seafood sector (March 30th for ISWFPO). These posts weren requested or paid for by clients but done pro bono to raise awareneness of issues and brand awareness of my consultancy.

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.

Brian Carroll Assistant Secretary (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)

Ossian Smyth Minister of State (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)

Mairéad Farrell TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Louise O'Reilly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Simon Coveney Minister (Department of Foreign Affairs)

Colm Brophy Minister of State for the Diaspora and Overseas Development Aid (Department of Foreign Affairs)

Simon Harris Minister (Department of Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Science)

Robert Troy Minister of State (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)

Cormac Devlin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Charlie McConalogue Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Michael McGrath Minister (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)

Paschal Donohoe Minister (Department of Finance)