The Union of Students in Ireland

Lobbying Organisation The Union of Students in Ireland

Date published 21 Sep, 2023

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Budgetary matters

Period 1 May, 2023 to 31 Aug, 2023

Specific Details USI officers engaging with members of the Oireachtas, Government and the staff of both to gather support for budgetary asks relating to different areas of funding in the third-level education sector.

Intended results For the budgetary asks included in the USI 2024 Pre-Budget Submission to be carried into Budget 2024. The USI Pre-Budget Submission can be found on the USI website for reference.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Zaid Albarghouthi

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? Various student representatives attended the lobby day, helped in setting out the objectives for USI in Budget 2024, and carried out talks with the attendees. The representatives belong to USI member organizations and have carried out lobbying based on the USI Pre-Budget Submission where they were acting as members of USI.

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Mass communications

Email All Oireachtas Members Email invitation to all Oireachtas members to attend the USI Pre-Budget Lobby Day.

Lobby day All Oireachtas Members Same as Activity 1. Lobby day was attended by USI Officers, Officers from USI member organizations (student unions), and members of the Oireachtas. (11.07.2023)

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Meeting (2-5)

The USI President and Vice-Presidents for Campaigns and Welfare met with the Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris and various members from his department to discuss issues arising in relation to student accommodation and the investment needed. Two meetings, July and August, at Leinster House and Department respectively. (04/07/2023 & 23.08.2023)

Virtual Meeting (1)

USI VP for Campaigns and VP for Gaelige met with Mairead Farrel TD to discuss issues relating to funding relating to the Irish language in the third-level education sector. (26.07.2023)

Meeting (1)

USI President, VP for Campaigns, and VP for Welfare met with Mark Ward TD in relation to student support funding as part of the USI pre-budget submission. Leinster House. (02.08.2023)

Virtual Meeting (1)

USI VP for Campaigns, VP for the Dublin Region, and VP for the Southern Region met with Martin Kenny TD to discuss budgetary asks relating to transport in line with the USI pre-budget submission. (29/08/2023)

Meeting (1)

USI VP for Campaigns, VP for Academic Affairs, and VP for Welfare met with Senator Annie Howie to support the USI Pre-Budget Submission. (22.08.2023)

Email (1)

Email from VP for Gaeilge to Norma Foley TD in relation to budgetary asks.

Email (6-10)

Email communication between USI (VP Welfare, VP Campaigns, and President) and Senator Annie Hoey in relation to costings for budgetary asks. (July to August)

Email (1)

Email from VP Equality and Citizenship to David Cullinane in relation to plans around health for the 2024 Budget.

Email (2-5)

Email from USI VP for Equality and Citizenship to Niall Collins in relation to guidelines on Ukrainian displaced students and qualifying for the free fees 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.

Simon Harris TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

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

Annie Hoey Senator (Seanad)

Martin Kenny TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Mark Ward TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Mairéad Farrell TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Mick Barry TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Holly Cairns TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Norma Foley TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Norma Foley Minister (Department of Education)

David Cullinane TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Niall Collins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Eileen Flynn Senator (Seanad)

Lynn Ruane Senator (Seanad)

Aindrias Moynihan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Brendan Smith TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Bríd Smith TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Cian O'Callaghan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

David Stanton TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Denise Mitchell TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Éamon Ó Cuív TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Fergus O'Dowd TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Frank Feighan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Gary Gannon TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Ged Nash TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Gino Kenny TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Ivana Bacik TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

John Paul Phelan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Mairéad Farrell TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Healy-Rae TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Pa Daly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Pádraig O'Sullivan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Patrick Costello TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paul Donnelly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Peadar Tóibín TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Róisín Shorthall TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Violet Anne Wynne TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)