Bookselling Ireland

Lobbying Organisation Bookselling Ireland

Date published 21 Jan, 2025

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Budgetary matters

Period 1 Sep, 2024 to 31 Dec, 2024

Specific Details Budget Submission outlining recommendations for providing support to bookshops

Intended results 1. School books: reconsider implementing a Voucher scheme for schoolbooks 2. Culture Vouchers: introduce a Culture Voucher scheme 3. Commercial Rates: implement relief from Commercial Rates for bookshops until end of 2025 4. Cost of Business Grant: implement annual Cost of Business Grant. 5. School Library Grant: revive this grant as regular payment, ringfenced for school library books 6. Night Time Economy Support Scheme: establish ongoing support scheme for cultural and community events

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Dawn Behan, Chair of Bookselling Ireland

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? Yes

What is the directive you gave to the grassroots campaigners? We asked Bookselling Ireland members to contact their local representatives to make them aware of the recommendations in our budget submission.

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)

Bookselling Ireland contacted Minister Jack Chambers and Minister Pascal Donohue directly and requested members to contact their local representatives directly.

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 Finance)

Paschal Donohoe Minister (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)