Irish Development Education Association

Lobbying Organisation Irish Development Education Association

Date published 21 May, 2025

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Education and Training

Period 1 Jan, 2025 to 30 Apr, 2025

Specific Details Advocating for removal of IHRA Definition of Anti-Semitism from Programme for Government

Intended results That the Taoiseach withdraw Irish Government support for the IHRA definition of anti-semitism and adopt an alternative definition that is widely endorsed by Jewish, Palestinian and international experts

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Ruairí McKiernan, CEO, 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? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Letter (2-5)

Letter to the Taoiseach in February on behalf of the IDEA Development Education on Palestine Working Group to point out how the IHRA definition undermines the ability of educators to carry out development education on Palestine and to request the Taoiseach withdraws support for this definition and adopts instead the Jerusalem definition on anti-semitism. Letter to Laurence Simms in March to request he bring to the Taoiseach's attention that the IHRA definition breaches the Good Friday Agreement

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 Taoiseach (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Laurence Simms Joint Secretary (Department of Foreign Affairs)