Friends of the Earth

Lobbying Organisation Friends of the Earth

Date published 06 Jan, 2021

Relevant Matter Legislation

Public Policy Area Energy and Natural Resources

Period 1 Sep, 2020 to 31 Dec, 2020

Specific Details Seeking Statutory Instrument to Planning and Development Regulations

Intended results A change to planning permission regulations to inlcude exemptions for solar panels on schools

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Kate Ruddock

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? Contact your local TD and ask them to raise this issue with their Parliamentary Party or submit a Parliamentary Question on the matter.

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (21-30)

Emails to Minister and Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage) asking them to progress the promised exemptions to the planning and development regulations to allow for the installation of solar panels on schools. Additional emails to Councillors, Hazel Smyth and Alastair McKIndry asking them to propose a motion at the Local Council to support solar panel installations on schools. Emails were sent directly from Kate Ruddock, and activists were directed to email the Minsiter of State with a targeted email direct from the Friends of the Earth website.

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.

Darragh O'Brien Minister (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)

Peter Burke Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)

Eamon Ryan Minister (Department of Climate Action, Communication Networks and Transport)

Alastair McKinstry Councillor (Galway County Council)

Hazel Smyth Councillor (Westmeath County Council)