AONTAS

Lobbying Organisation AONTAS

Date published 19 Sep, 2025

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Budgetary matters

Period 1 May, 2025 to 31 Aug, 2025

Specific Details Pre-budget submission for Budget 2026

Intended results Significantly increase overall investment in the Further Education and Training (FET) funding. Ringfence and enhance funding for the community education sector Reform learner financial supports across the FET system Establish a national FET learner hardship fund

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Dearbháil Lawless

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)

An email was sent to Ministers seeking support for AONTAS' Pre-Budget Submission asks. The opportunity to meet and discuss these asks was also requested.

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.

James Lawless Minister (Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science)

Marian Harkin Minister of State (Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science)