Politician(s) lobbied: Hildegarde Naughton (Minister), Department of Education; Jen Cummins (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas
Intent: Support from government and opposition TDs in relation to funding for primary and secondary school libraries
Methods: Email
Details by Method
Email
On the 25th of February, 2026, I emailed Social Democrats and Education Spokesperson, Jen Cummins, to discuss the possibility of an information session on the importance of reading and access to books for children for TDs and Senators in the AV Room in Leinster House. Over a series of emails, this was booked for the 12th of May.
Email
On the 5th of January, 2026, I emailed Minister Hildegarde Naughton to request a meeting to discuss funding for library books in primary and secondary school. I also shared details from schools in her constituency that applied to our book-gifting support programme.
Politician(s) lobbied: Unknown
Intent: Unknown
Methods: Unknown
Details by Method
Method not specified
Unknown
Politician(s) lobbied: Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (MEP), European Parliament; Nina Carberry (MEP), European Parliament; Naoise Ó Muirí (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas
Intent: Support from government TDs and Irish MEPs on sustained funding for school libraries in Ireland.
Methods: Meeting
Details by Method
Meeting
On May 15th, at our Reading for Joy Forum, met with Naoise O Muiri TD to discuss funding for school libraries. On June 10th, met with Nina Carberry MEP to talk about the work of Children’s Books Ireland and to discuss funding for school libraries and for culture more broadly. On July 7th, met Aodhan O'Riordain MEP to discuss support funding for school libraries and the wider issue of child literacy.
Politician(s) lobbied: Jack Chambers (Minister), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform; Paschal Donohoe (Minister), Department of Finance; Helen McEntee (Minister), Department of Education; Cathal Crowe (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Jen Cummins (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (MEP), European Parliament
Intent: Government and opposition party support for sustained and annual funding for school libraries in primary and secondary schools in Ireland.
Methods: MeetingEmail
Details by Method
Meeting
On the 11th of June, I met with Cathal Crowe in his capacity as Chair of the Oireachtas Education Committee to request a speaking slot before the Committee and discuss the importance of funding school libraries. On the 16th of June, I met with Jen Cummins in her capacity as Education Spokesperson for the Social Democrats to discuss support for school libraries. On the 4th of July, I met with Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Labour MEP) on child and youth literacy support.
Email
On the 15th of May, I requested a meeting with Cathal Crowe to discuss the outcomes of our Reading for Joy Forum and book gifting application data. On the 7th of July, I shared our Children and Young People's Reading in Ireland report with Jen Cummins and Cathal Crowe, and on the 10th of July, I shared same with Paschal Donohoe, Jack Chambers, Helen McEntee to request consideration for school library funding in Budget 2026, with a follow-up request for a meeting with the latter on August 8th.
Politician(s) lobbied: Helen McEntee (Minister), Department of Education; Michael Moynihan (Minister of State), Department of Education; Darren O'Rourke (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Claire Kerrane (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Jen Cummins (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Eoghan Kenny (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Bernie McNally (Secretary General), Department of Education; Cathal Crowe (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas
Intent: Attendance at the Reading for Joy Forum by relevant government TDs and opposition spokespeople where the focus of discussion would be on the benefits of reading for joy and the ways in which government can support schools to put the reading lives of their pupils at the heart of their school experience.
Methods: Email
Details by Method
Email
Government TDs, including the Minister for Education and Youth, as well as opposition education spokespeople, and members of the civil service, received a formal invitation to the Reading for Joy Forum.
Politician(s) lobbied: Barry Heneghan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Helen McEntee (Minister), Department of Education
Intent: A meeting where a member of the Independent Group could be briefed on the issues surrounding funding for school libraries in Ireland.
Methods: Email
Details by Method
Email
Barry Heneghan received an email on the 7th of January requesting a meeting at his earliest convenience to discuss provision for school libraries.
Email
Helen McEntee received an email on the 27th of March requesting a meeting to discuss applications to the Children's Books Ireland Bookgifting Scheme and school library provision. A follow-up email was sent on the 16th of April.
Politician(s) lobbied: Seán Canney (Minister of State), Department of Transport; Michael Lowry (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Kevin Boxer Moran (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Noel Grealish (Minister of State), Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Marian Harkin (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Gillian Toole (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Barry Heneghan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas
Intent: A commitment to reinstate funding for school libraries in the programme for government, and a recognition of the importance of reading for joy for children and young people in educational settings as a means of overcoming social inequality.
Methods: Email
Details by Method
Email
All seven members of the Regional Independent Group received an email about the lack of school libraries in their constituency.
Politician(s) lobbied: Naoise Ó Muirí (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas
Intent: Intended to gain the support of an elected government official and colleague of the Minister for Education for our campaign to reinstate school library funding on an ongoing basis
Methods: Meeting
Details by Method
Meeting
Met Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí at Stapolin Educate Together School, Baldoyle, Dublin, and spoke about the lack of school library funding, the huge need in the education sector for support for school libraries.
Politician(s) lobbied: Richard Boyd Barrett (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Aine Doyle (Special Adviser), Department of Education; Malcolm Byrne (Senator), Seanad; Malcolm Byrne (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Niamh Smyth (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Mary Seery Kearney (Senator), Seanad; Aisling Dolan (Senator), Seanad; Simon Harris (An Taoiseach), Department of the Taoiseach; Micheál Martin (Tánaiste and Minister), Department of Foreign Affairs; Marie Sherlock (Senator), Seanad; Marie Sherlock (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Jack Chambers (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Jack Chambers (Minister), Department of Finance; Paschal Donohoe (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Paschal Donohoe (Minister), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform; Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Norma Foley (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Mary Butler (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; James Lawless (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; James Browne (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Ivana Bacik (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Martin Heydon (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; John Cummins (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; John Paul O'Shea (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Helen McEntee (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas
Intent: 1.Inclusion of support for reading for joy for children and young people in party election manifestos for General Election 2025. ::2. Establish a National Advisory Group on School Library Provision to develop a National Strategy for School Libraries, with the key aim of ensuring there is a School Library and a School Librarian in all Primary and Post Primary Schools by end of 2024, as recommended by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in its Reports on Leaving Certificate Reform and on Mental Health Supports in Schools.::3. In the interim, expand both the Junior Certificate School Programme (JCSP) Demonstration Library Project and JCSP Digital Library Service as an urgent national priority, as recommended in the same reports and as per the 2005 DEIS plan.::4. Ensure that reading for joy is at the heart of the upcoming National Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Literacy Strategy, in order to increase motivation and eng
Methods: EmailInformal communication
Details by Method
Email
On the 10th of December 2024, emailed Darragh O'Brien (FF), Norma Foley (FF), Mary Butler (FF), James Lawless (FF), James Browne (FF), Ivana Bacik (LP), Marie Sherlock (LP), Martin Heydon (FG), John Cummins (FG), John Paul O'Shea (FG), Helen MacEntee (FG) re including provision for reading for joy in government negotiations.
Email
On the 10th of October 2024, emailed TDs and Special Advisors (Aine Doyle, Malcolm Byrne, Jennifer Murnane O'Connor, Niamh Smyth) in relation to Children's Books Ireland's political briefing document on reading for joy in Irish schools, with a view to securing support for this in the general election.
Email
On the 15th of October 2024, emailed Aisling Dolan, FG Seanad Spokesperson on Education, Kathryn O'Riordan (DCEDIY), Mary Seery-Kearney FG Seanad Spokesperson on Children in relation to the Children's Books Ireland political briefing document on reading for joy.
Email
On the 17th of October 2024, emailed Tánaiste Micheal Martin and Taoiseach Simon Harris in relation to the Children's Books Ireland political briefing document on reading for joy. Also sent a follow-up email to Aine Doyle re the same.
Informal communication
On the 19th of November 2024 sent Sorca Clarke (SF) a text message detailing a positive response to SF's Education Manifesto, and offering support and guidance on implementation in relation to school libraries and reading for joy going forward.
Email
On the 29th of October 2024, responded to Marie Sherlock's email in relation to Children's Books Ireland political briefing document, thanking her for including support for reading for joy in Labour's election manifesto.
Email
On the 4th of November 2024, sent a follow-up email to Aine Doyle in relation to Children's Books Ireland political briefing document.
Email
On the 9th of December 2024, emailed Jack Chambers (FF), Paschal Donohoe (FG), Jennifer Carroll McNeill (FG) re including provision for reading for joy in government negotiations.
Politician(s) lobbied: Gary Gannon (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas
Intent: 1. Invest €60m in Budget 2025 in books for children and young people to read for joy in schools and school libraries building on the foundations laid in Budget 2022.::2. Establish a National Advisory Group on School Library Provision to develop a National Strategy for School Libraries, with the key aim of ensuring there is a School Library and a School Librarian in all Primary and Post Primary Schools by end of 2024, as recommended by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in its Reports on Leaving Certificate Reform and on Mental Health Supports in Schools.::3. In the interim, expand both the Junior Certificate School Programme (JCSP) Demonstration Library Project and JCSP Digital Library Service as an urgent national priority, as recommended in the same reports and as per the 2005 DEIS plan.::4. Ensure that reading for joy is at the heart of the upcoming National Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Literacy Strategy, in
Methods: Email
Details by Method
Email
4th June 2024Email to Eamon Murphy, Policy Director with the Social Democrats, advocating for the party to include support for dedicated reading for joy time in school timetables, primary and secondary.
