The Union of Students in Ireland

Lobbying Organisation The Union of Students in Ireland

Date published 17 May, 2023

Relevant Matter Legislation

Public Policy Area Education and Training

Period 1 Jan, 2023 to 30 Apr, 2023

Specific Details USI Lobby Day

Intended results To encourage TDs to support the cost of college pledge and the asks of the cost of college campaign - Including the abolition of fees, building of affordable purpose built student acccommodation and other asks relating to the issues raised previously. The aim was to influence the budget and ensure it was a consideration in the development of opposition advocacy and in the budget itself.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Ross Boyd

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? Provided students and students' union officer a email list to encourage them to email or write to their TDs via postcards. We also encouraged those who attended the lobby day a informational booklet about all the TDs, as well as a lobby sheet to help them in calling for our asks, as well as the

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Mass communications

Email All TDs This was done through providing an email template of the TDs

Letter All TDs Similar to the emails, a postcard with a QR code for the Cost of College campaign was created that provided a brief explanation of the campaign and encouraging the TD to sign. However, this was done through students writing their name and their college and then the USI and Students' Unions sending over the postcards to Leinster House and the respective TDs.

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Lobby day (1)

These emails efforts culminated into a lobby day in Buswells hotel, which saw about 30 TDs attending and a similar number signing the Cost of College pledge. This was organised in Buswells with online options done throughout the day to encourage TDs to attend including a phone bank, emails and postcards. The Designated Public Officials lobbied are the ones who attended on the day itself.

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.

Francis Noel Duffy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Richard Boyd Barrett TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Ged Nash TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Rose Conway-Walsh TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Neasa Hourigan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Imelda Munster TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Darren O'Rourke TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Hazel De Nortuin Councillor (Dublin City Council)

Bríd Smith TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Claire Kerrane TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Gino Kenny TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Cathal Berry TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Ivana Bacik TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Emer Higgins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Brian Stanley TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Catherine Murphy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

David Cullinane TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Denise Mitchell TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Eoin Ó Broin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Gary Gannon TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Joan Collins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Louise O'Reilly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paul McAuliffe TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paul Donnelly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Timmy Dooley Senator (Seanad)

Michael Ring TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Richard Bruton TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)