Acumen Public Affairs (Acumen Public Affairs srl)

Lobbying Organisation Acumen Public Affairs

Date published 07 Jan, 2026

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Health

Period 1 Sep, 2025 to 31 Dec, 2025

Specific Details Irish EU Council Presidency (Health work programme and priorities)

Intended results Ensure respiratory infections prevention is considered as a priority topic for EU health policy during the Irish EU Council Presidency in second half of 2026 (esp. Presidency health work programme for Council activities during Presidency mandate)

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Steering Group on Prevention of Respiratory Infections (Acumen Public Affairs serving as the Secretariat of the Steering Group, together with the Co-chair Prof. Colin Russell)

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? Yes

Client(s)

Client 1

Company name Vaccines Europe

CRO number (if applicable)

Company address Rue Montoyer 51, box 3, 1000 Brussels BELGIUM

Main business or activity

Company website https://www.vaccineseurope.eu

Contact email address info@vaccineseurope.eu

Contact phone number +32 (0)2 626 25 55

Contact address https://www.vaccineseurope.eu

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Submission (2-5)

Replied to: (1) a targeted consultation organised by the Department of Health on priorities for the upcoming EU Presidency titled 'Defining the Health Agenda for the Irish Presidency'; (2) a Public Consultation organised by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on the Development of the Priorities and Policy Programme for Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2026.

Event / Reception (1)

Hosted an event at the European Parliament in Brussels on 15/10, featuring former Health Minister Stephan Donnelly as speaker.

Email (11-20)

Exchanged emails with the Private Secretary to the Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence to schedule a meeting with Minister Byrne in Brussels, initially set for 17 November, then moved to 16 December, and ultimately postponed to 2026.

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.

Stephen Donnelly Minister (Department of Health)

Thomas Byrne Minister of State (Department of Foreign Affairs)

Kevin Smyth Assistant Secretary (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)