AONTAS

Lobbying Organisation AONTAS

Date published 21 Jan, 2026

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Education and Training

Period 1 Sep, 2025 to 31 Dec, 2025

Specific Details Minister Harkin Site Visit December 15th to Womens' Community Project & Women's Collective Ireland Mullingar. to

Intended results Recognition of the challenges facing community education and support for resourcing the sector

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 (6-10)

Emails were exchanged with Minister Harkins Parliamentary assistant between the 24th of October and 18th of December 2025 to advocate for and organise a site visit to a community education project in Mullingar on the 15th of December.

Meeting (1)

On the 15th of December 2025 Minister Harkin met with Women's Community Projects, Women's Collective Ireland, Longford Women's Link and AONTAS in WCP Mullingar to discuss the challenges facing community education providers, and sectors needs for support.

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.

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