A&L Goodbody

Lobbying Organisation A&L Goodbody

Date published 20 Sep, 2023

Relevant Matter Legislation

Public Policy Area Taxation

Period 1 May, 2023 to 31 Aug, 2023

Specific Details (1)Seeking to amend s847A Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 to adjust the system for tax relief on donations to approved sporting bodies;(2) Seeking to amend Irish VAT Consolidation Act 2010 (a)introduce a VAT compensation scheme; (b)reduce the VAT rate on exercise classes; (3)Seeking to amend Charities Act 2009 to extend charitable status to NGBs and LSPs; (4)Seeking introduction of (a)system of tax refund on certain costs associated with personal/recreational exercise; &(b)Employee exercise scheme

Intended results (1) To enable the ease and Incentivisation of donation giving to approved sporting bodies. (2) To mitigate the VAT cost incurred by sporting bodies. (3) To incentivise personal exercise.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Bryan Hughes (Senior Associate, A&L Goodbody LLP)

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? Yes

Client(s)

Client 1

Company name The Federation of Irish Sport

CRO number (if applicable)

Company address Irish Sport HQ, National Sports Campus, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland

Main business or activity

Company website www.irishsport.ie

Contact email address mary.oconnor@irishsport.ie

Contact phone number +35316251155

Contact address Irish Sport HQ, National Sports Campus, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Submission (1)

(1) Provision of addendum to report (issued in 2022) to the Federation of Irish Sport for onward submission to the Department of Sport and Department of Finance during the course of June 2023.

Meeting (1)

(2) Attendance and presentation at meeting dated 28 June 2023 with Minister Thomas Byrne and his advisors to discuss the proposals and approach.

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.

Thomas Byrne Minister of State (Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media)

Daniel Griffin Special Adviser (Department of Foreign Affairs)

Michael McGrath Minister (Department of Finance)