Irish Development Education Association

Lobbying Organisation Irish Development Education Association

Date published 08 Jan, 2025

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Education and Training

Period 1 Sep, 2024 to 31 Dec, 2024

Specific Details Advocating for TDs and Councillors running in 2024 General Election to become Global Education Champions if elected

Intended results As many TDs and Councillors running in the General Election to commit to being Global Education Champions as possible

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Leigh Brady, Policy and Advocacy Manager IDEA

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? IDEA members were encouraged to write to their local TDs inviting them to sign the IDEA electoral pledge to become a Global Education Champion

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Mass communications

Email All TDs IDEA sent an email to all TDs re-running for election (125) inviting them to sign the IDEA electoral pledge, committing to become Global Education Champions if elected. TDs that were not re-running for election were excluded (35). One batch of emails were sent on 11 November and one batch on 12 November

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (2-5)

Chris Pender, Aidan Farrelly, councillors who were running in the General Election were invited to sign the IDEA electoral pledge, committing to become Global Education Champions if elected. 13 and 26 November, respectively

Email (2-5)

Fiona O' Loughlin and Malcolm Byrne, senators spokespersons for education were asked to share the IDEA electoral pledge with FF general election candidates interested in global citizenship education. 19 November

Email (2-5)

Cynthia Ní Mhurchú and Sean Kelly, MEPs, were asked to share the IDEA electoral pledge with their party colleagues running in the general election (those interested in global citizenship education). 18 November

Event / Reception (1)

IDEA Policy and Advocacy Manager attended an election hustings as an audience member and asked one question of the panel regarding their parties' support for GCE. There was a panel of candidates and an outgoing TD: Paul Donnelly, Richard Bruton, Chris Pender, Ian Carey and Conor Reddy.

Email (6-10)

Jennifer Whitmore, Cian O Callaghan, Gary Gannon, Mary Lou McDonald, Roderic O' Gorman. Follow up emails sent on 25 and 26 November to original email of 12 November. They were invited to sign the IDEA electoral pledge and share it with their party colleagues running in the general election

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.

Jennifer Whitmore TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Cian O'Callaghan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Gary Gannon TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Roderic O'Gorman TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Mary Lou McDonald TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Chris Pender Councillor (Kildare County Council)

Aidan Farrelly Councillor (Kildare County Council)

Paul Donnelly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Conor Reddy Councillor (Dublin City Council)

Richard Bruton TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Ian Carey Councillor (Fingal County Council)

Sean Kelly MEP (European Parliament)

Cynthia Ní Mhurchú MEP (European Parliament)

Fiona O'Loughlin Senator (Seanad)

Malcolm Byrne Senator (Seanad)