SeeBeyondBorders Ireland CLG (SeeBeyondBorders Ireland)

Lobbying Organisation SeeBeyondBorders Ireland CLG

Date published 13 Sep, 2023

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Education and Training

Period 1 May, 2023 to 31 Aug, 2023

Specific Details To discuss Ireland's overseas aid policy for Cambodia including the promotion of education initiatives between Ireland and Cambodia.

Intended results To promote the advancement of education in Cambodia and garner support between Ireland and Cambodia within the education and public policy sectors

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Maeve Corish - Vice Chairperson of SBBI

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.

Phone call (1)

We asked Jack Chambers TD to support our request for a meeting with Minister Norma Foley, Department of Education to discuss shared learning opportunities between Irish educators and Cambodian educators.

Event / Reception (1)

We met DG of Irish Aid Michael Gaffney in person at the Dochas Conference and requested a meeting with him to discuss the need to invest in Cambodian education and have it included on the forthcoming strategy. We followed up by an email request to his office in writing as directed.

Meeting (1)

We discussed with DG of Irish Aid Michael Gaffney on 20 June 2023, the need to have Cambodian education included in the new strategy for the Mekong Region and outlined the importance of investing in quality education to improve Cambodian children's learning outcomes and life prospects.

Meeting (1)

We spoke to Minister Norma Foley on 8 June 2023 to discuss our charity's Connect Programme which involves Irish teachers travelling to Cambodia and Cambodian teachers travelling to Ireland on a shared learning and knowledge exchange. The Minister had an opportunity to meet some of the Irish teachers travelling to Cambodia in August 2023. We also outlined the schedule and intended outcomes with a view to garnering her support for this initiative.

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.

Jack Chambers Minister of State (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)

Norma Foley TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Norma Foley Minister (Department of Education)

Michael Gaffey Assistant Secretary (Department of Foreign Affairs)