National Adult Literacy Agency

Lobbying Organisation National Adult Literacy Agency

Date published 12 Sep, 2025

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Education and Training

Period 1 May, 2025 to 31 Aug, 2025

Specific Details Adult Literacy in Ireland

Intended results Increased funding for adult literacy in Budget 2026, specifically for (1) adult literacy provision in ETBs (2) Learn with NALA (3) community education (4) PIAAC mid-cycle survey (5) plain language training in government departments

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Aoife Crawford

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.

Submission (1)

Our pre-budget submission was sent as attachment to email on 30 July to elected representatives and officials in: - Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science - Department of Finance - Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation Also to members of the Oireachtas Committee on Further Education, Research, Innovation and Science, and senior staff in SOLAS. https://www.nala.ie/publications/our-asks-for-budget-2026/

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.

James Lawless Minister (Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science)

Marian Harkin Minister of State (Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science)

Colm O'Reardon Secretary General (Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science)

Jack Chambers Minister (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)

Emer Higgins Minister of State (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)

Colin Menton Deputy Secretary General (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)

David Moloney Secretary General (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)

Marianne Cassidy Assistant Secretary (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)

John Kinnane Assistant Secretary (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)

Barry O'Brien Assistant Secretary (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)

Paschal Donohoe Minister (Department of Finance)

John Hogan Secretary General (Department of Finance)

John McCarthy Chief Economist (Department of Finance)

Erin McGreehan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

John Connolly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Frank Feighan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Maeve O'Connell TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Brendan Smith TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paul Daly Senator (Seanad)

Dee Ryan Senator (Seanad)

Mike Kennelly Senator (Seanad)

Eoghan Kenny TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Laura Harmon Senator (Seanad)

Donna McGettigan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Pauline Tully Senator (Seanad)

Jen Cummins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paul Murphy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Andrew Brownlee Chief Executive Officer (Solas)

Nessa White Executive Director (Solas)