Royal Dublin Society (RDS)

Lobbying Organisation Royal Dublin Society

Date published 19 May, 2022

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Development and Zoning

Period 1 Jan, 2022 to 30 Apr, 2022

Specific Details Support for the RDS Main Arena/Anglesea Stand Redevelopment Project.

Intended results Funding for the RDS Main Arena/Anglesea Stand Redevelopment Project.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Ms. Geraldine Ruane, RDS CEO.

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)

Letter dated Tuesday 15th March 2022 from Ms. Geraldine Ruane, RDS CEO to Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Michael McGrath TD. The letter was an introduction and also provided a briefing to the Minister on the RDS Main Arena/Anglesea Stand Redevelopment Project.

Letter (1)

Letter dated Tuesday 15th March 2022 from Ms. Geraldine Ruane, RDS CEO to Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media Jack Chambers TD. The main purpose of the letter was to formally request a meeting with the Minister regarding the RDS Main Arena/Anglesea Stand Redevelopment Project.

Meeting (1)

A meeting took place on Thursday 14th April in the Office of the Minister in the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media. The meeting related to the business model underpinning the RDS Main Arena/Anglesea Stand Redevelopment Project as it pertains to the intended results specified above. The persons in attendance from the RDS were: Ms. Geraldine Ruane, RDS CEO; Professor J. Owen Lewis, RDS President; Mr. Pat Hanly, RDS Deputy Chief Executive - Finance Director; Mr. Malachi Quinn, RDS Communications Manager. The Designated Public Officials/Departmental Officials in attendance were: Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media, Mr. Jack Chambers TD, Mr. Barry Andrews MEP, Mr. James Lavelle, Assistant Principal Officer & Mr. Shane Smith, Special Advisor to Minister Chambers.

Letter (1)

Letter dated Friday 6th May 2022 from Ms. Geraldine Ruane, RDS CEO to Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media Jack Chambers T.D. Purpose of the letter was to thank the Minister for the meeting held on the 14th April.

Phone call (2-5)

Calls were made on 21st March 2022 between Mr. Malachi Quinn, RDS Communications Manager and Mr. Barry Andrews MEP to assist in setting up a meeting with Minister Jack Chambers TD - the purpose of said meeting was to discuss the RDS Main Arena/Anglesea Stand Redevelopment Project.

Letter (1)

Letter from Geraldine Ruane, RDS CEO, to Minister for Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris TD, dated 3rd February 2022. The purpose of this letter was, in part, to request the support and advice of the Minister in order to help secure funding towards the RDS Main Arena/Anglesea Stand Redevelopment Project.

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.

Michael McGrath Minister (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)

Jack Chambers Minister of State (Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media)

Barry Andrews MEP (European Parliament)

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

Shane Smyth Special Adviser (Department of the Taoiseach)