Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation

Lobbying Organisation Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation

Date published 16 Sep, 2025

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Education and Training

Period 1 May, 2025 to 31 Aug, 2025

Specific Details Proposed increase of third level fees to €3,000 per academic year in the next Budget

Intended results That proposed plans by Government to increase the student contribution fee by €1000 per annum would not go ahead.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Ralph Brennan, INMO Student & New Graduate Officer

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? The INMO prepared a sample email/letter that students could send to their TD's and local representatives. A short video was also filmed for social media highlighting the issue and advising students of the drafted letter that could be sent to local TD's.

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Informal communication (1)

Spoke with Labour TDs who were in attendance at a protest organised by the USI (Union of Students in Ireland).

Letter (1)

The INMO prepared a sample email/letter that students could send to their TD's and local representatives.

Letter (1)

Letter presented by INMO General Secretary to Minister for Higher Education James Lawless on 4th July on behalf of student nurses and midwives opposing any increase to the student contribution fee.

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.

Ivana Bacik TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Alan Kelly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Ciarán Ahern TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Conor Sheehan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

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