Higher Education Colleges Association (HECA)

Lobbying Organisation Higher Education Colleges Association (HECA)

Date published 21 Jan, 2022

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Education and Training

Period 1 Sep, 2021 to 31 Dec, 2021

Specific Details Exclusion of students studying at HECA member HEIs from the free COVID-19 rapid antigen tests

Intended results Inclusion of funding for the provision of free COVID-19 rapid antigen tests for students studying at HECA member HEIs

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Patricia O Sullivan (HECA), Professor Denis Ryan (ICHAS)

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

Mass communications

Email All Oireachtas Members Request for the inclusion of students at HECA member higher education institutions in the national public health free COVID-19 rapid antigen tests for HE students. Information on the discrimination experienced by students at private HEIs by the exclusion from funding for the free rapid antigen tests. Information on the importance of inclusion of students in HECA member HEIs in the COVID-19 public health rapid antigen test funding.

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (11-20)

Request for the inclusion of students at HECA member higher education institutions in the national public health free COVID-19 rapid antigen tests for HE students. Information on the discrimination experienced by students at private HEIs by the exclusion from funding for the free rapid antigen tests. Information on the importance of inclusion of students in HECA member HEIs in the COVID-19 public health rapid antigen test funding.

Phone call (11-20)

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.

Keith Moynes Assistant Secretary (Department of Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Science)

Deirdre Duffy Special Adviser (Department of Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Science)

William Beausang Assistant Secretary (Department of Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Science)

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

Niall Collins Minister of State (Department of Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Science)

Colm Burke TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Kieran O'Donnell TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)