Irish Congress of Trade Unions

Lobbying Organisation Irish Congress of Trade Unions

Date published 15 Jan, 2026

Relevant Matter Legislation

Public Policy Area Budgetary matters

Period 1 Sep, 2025 to 31 Dec, 2025

Specific Details Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit

Intended results Expressing anger at exclusion of Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit from the general rate increase of €10 per week for core weekly payments in Budget 2026.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Owen Reidy, General Secretary; Laura Bambrick, Social Policy Officer

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.

Letter (1)

To Minister Jack Chambers and Minister Dara Calleary on 14 October 2025

Phone call (1)

Phone call to Craig Dwyer on 15 October 2025

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 (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)

Dara Calleary Minister (Department of Social Protection)

Craig Dwyer Special Advisor (Department of Social Protection)