Licensed Vintners Association

Lobbying Organisation Licensed Vintners Association

Date published 06 Aug, 2020

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Trade

Period 1 May, 2020 to 31 Aug, 2020

Specific Details Developing a plan to allow pubs to survive the pandemic crisis

Intended results Creating a plan for protecting the future of pubs across Ireland in light of Government taking a specific approach to pubs due to public health concerns.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Donall O'Keeffe, 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.

Meeting (1)

With over 3,500 pubs unable to trade by order of the Government in light of the public health crisis, the LVA and VFI met with the Taoiseach, the Secretary General of the Department of An Taoiseach and the Chef de Cabinet on 24th July to discuss how pubs that are still closed, their 25,000 employees and their families across the country are struggling; how assistance was essential to help pubs to survive this crisis and the need for the Government to create a plan specifically for pubs should there be spikes in the level of infection that further limited the sector’s ability to trade. The LVA/VFI stressed that if there were any more delays in allowing pubs to reopen, it was vital that a plan be announced simultaneously to help the pubs still closed. The limited assistance provided by the July stimulus plan to these businesses and their staff was also discussed. A commitment was made to assess the development of a pub-specific support plan.

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.

Micheál Martin An Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)

Martin Fraser Secretary General (Department of the Taoiseach)

Deirdre Gillane Chief of Staff (Department of the Taoiseach)

Ollie Crowe Senator (Seanad)

Malcolm Byrne Senator (Seanad)