Council of The Bar of Ireland

Politician(s) lobbied: Lynn Ruane (Senator), Seanad

Intent: To secure her attendance as a keynote speaker and panellist at The Bar of Ireland's International Women's Day event held in March

Methods: Email

Politician(s) lobbied: Jack Chambers (Minister), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform; Sam Griffin (Adviser to Minister), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform; Shane Smyth (Adviser to Minister), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform

Intent: To secure his attendance as a keynote speaker at the Accelerating Infrastructure and the Future of Judicial Review conference, held in February 2026

Methods: EmailPhone call

Politician(s) lobbied: Jim O'Callaghan (Minister), Department of Justice

Intent: To follow up on the previous request that a representative of The Bar of Ireland is appointed to the implementation body established by the Department to ensure that the important insights that family law practitioners can provide are considered in any implementation plans, thereby ensuring that the most successful outcomes can be delivered for families.

Methods: Email

Politician(s) lobbied: Niall Cussen (Planning Regulator), Office of the Planning Regulator

Intent: To secure his attendance as a panel speaker at the Accelerating Infrastructure and the Future of Judicial Review conference, held in February 2026

Methods: Email

Politician(s) lobbied: Jim O'Brien (Special Advisor), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Deirdre Gillane (Chief of Staff), Department of the Taoiseach; Pat McParland (Deputy Chief of Staff), Department of the Taoiseach; Diarmuid Lynch (Special Adviser), Department of the Taoiseach; Gráinne Weld (Special Adviser), Department of the Taoiseach; Sharon McGowan (Special Adviser), Department of the Taoiseach; Michaela Reilly (Special Adviser), Department of the Taoiseach; Killian Ginnity (Special Adviser), Department of the Taoiseach; Kieran McQuinn (Special Advisor to the Taoiseach), Department of the Taoiseach; Paraic Gallagher (Special Adviser), Department of the Taoiseach; Ian Power (Special Adviser), Department of the Taoiseach; Sarah Bardon (Chief of Staff), Department of the Taoiseach; Joanne Lonergan (Special Adviser), Department of the Taoiseach; Jack O’Donnell (Special Adviser), Department of the Taoiseach; Pauric McPhillips (Special Advisor to the Tanaiste), Department of the Taoiseach; Stephen Kinsella (Special Adviser), Department of the Taoiseach; Max Murphy (Special Adviser), Department of the Taoiseach; Clare Mungovan (Special Adviser), Department of the Taoiseach; Niall O’ Connor (Special Advisor), Department of Foreign Affairs; Conor Glynn (Special Advisor to the Tanaiste), Department of the Taoiseach; Andrew Smith (Adviser to Minister of State), Department of Finance; Brian Purcell (Adviser to Minister), Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Barry Cassidy (Special Adviser), Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Maria Burke (Adviser to Minister of State), Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Fiona Geoghegan (Adviser to Minister of State), Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Theresa Newman (Special Adviser), Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media; Michael O’Connor (Special Adviser), Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media; Michael Brennan (Special Adviser), Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; Aisling Dunne (Special Adviser), Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; Treasa Kelly (Special Advisor), Department of Social Protection; Siobhan Russell (Adviser to Minister), Department of Transport; Padraig Hughes (Special Adviser), Department of Transport; Angelina Nugent (Adviser to Minister), Department of Transport; Paul Melia (Special Advisor), Department of Education; Denise Duffy (Special Advisor), Department of the Taoiseach; Noel Byrne (Adviser to Minister of State), Department of Education; Laura Mannion (Special Adviser), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Jenny McCormack (Special Adviser), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Ellen McGrath (Special Advisor), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Katie McNamee (Special Adviser), Department of Education; Daniel Griffin (Special Adviser), Department of Foreign Affairs; Amii McKeever (Special Advisor), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Harry McCann (Special Adviser), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Jim O'Brien (Special Advisor), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Stephen Foley (Special Adviser), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Bríd Murphy (Adviser to Minister), Department of Health; Briege MacOscar (Adviser to Minister of State), Department of Health; John McDonald (Special Adviser), Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; Síona Cahill (Special Adviser), Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; Ciara Phelan (Special Adviser), Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; Hannah Hamilton (Special Adviser), Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; Adrian O'Higgins (Special Advisor), Department of Justice; Suzanne Coogan (Press Adviser), Department of Justice; Jack White (Special Advisor), Department of Justice; Robert Lahiff (Special Advisor), Department of Justice; Sam Griffin (Adviser to Minister), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform; Shane Smyth (Adviser to Minister), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform; Craig Dwyer (Special Advisor), Department of Social Protection

Intent: To secure a meeting between members of The Bar and parliamentary party members and officials to discuss topics including judicial review, the Civil Reform Bill, Civil Legal Aid and Criminal Legal Aid.

Methods: Email

Politician(s) lobbied: Joan Crawford (Chief Executive Officer), The Legal Aid Board

Intent: To highlight the challenges being experienced in processing of payments to counsel by the Legal Aid Board and seeking a resolution and update on the timeline for the switch to E payments

Methods: Email

Politician(s) lobbied: Edward Timmins (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas

Intent: Communicating with the Deputy following The Bar's submission and committee appearance on the Finance (Tax Appeals and Fiscal Responsibility) Bill 2025.

Methods: Email

Politician(s) lobbied: Carole Sullivan (Acting Assistant Secretary), Department of Justice

Intent: To share a paper outlining TBOI's position on District Court Fee proposals

Methods: Email

Politician(s) lobbied: Jim O'Callaghan (Minister), Department of Justice

Intent: To secure him as an interviewee for the June 2026 edition of The Bar Review

Methods: Email

Politician(s) lobbied: Jim O'Callaghan (Minister), Department of Justice

Intent: Letter requesting a meeting with the Minister to discuss matters of legal reform and topics such as civil legal aid and the restoration of professional fees paid to barristers in criminal legal aid cases

Methods: Letter