Politician(s) lobbied: Helen McEntee (Minister), Department of Foreign Affairs
Intent: To express FLAC's concerns about to potential political declaration on the ECHR and to request a meeting. The political declarations referred to were proposed by a number of Council of Europe members states and seek to emphasise how States expect rights to be applied in practice, particularly in migration cases. FLAC is concerned at any declaration which could potentially weaken the protections provided by the ECHR.
Methods: Email
Details by Method
Email
Letter sent by email dated 3 March 2026
Politician(s) lobbied: Matt Carthy (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Andrew Munro (Assistant Secretary), Department of Justice; Paula Butterly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Tom Brabazon (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Catherine Callaghan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Albert Dolan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Gary Gannon (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Alan Kelly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Pádraig O'Sullivan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Mark Ward (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Robbie Gallagher (Senator), Seanad; Garret Kelleher (Senator), Seanad; Michael McDowell (Senator), Seanad; Anne Rabbitte (Senator), Seanad; Lynn Ruane (Senator), Seanad
Intent: To outline FLAC's recommendations concerning civil legal aid reform
Methods: EmailMeeting
Details by Method
Email
Email of 8 January 2026 inviting Matt Carthy TD to FLAC's civil legal aid conference.3 emails on 15 January 2026 to arrange a meeting with Deputy Carty.
Email
Emails to the Committee regarding FLAC's submission and appearance before them dated 15 (2 emails) and 23(1 email) January 202 to outline FLAC's recommendations on civil legal aid reform.
Meeting
In person conversation with Mr Andrew Munro, Head of Legislation for Civil Justice, Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration at the Department of Justice offices on 16 April 2026 to seek an update on any planned civil legal aid reform and to express FLAC's reform recommendations.
Meeting
Meeting with Deputy Carthy in Leinster House attended by Eilis Barry, Christopher Bowes & Colm O'Halloran.
Politician(s) lobbied: Jim O'Callaghan (Minister), Department of Justice
Intent: To outline FLAC's views to the Minister
Methods: Meeting
Details by Method
Meeting
Brief conversation with the Minister in advance of the FLAC and TCD legal aid conference in Trinity College Dublin on 12 January 2026
Politician(s) lobbied: Jim O'Callaghan (Minister), Department of Justice; Jack Chambers (Minister), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform; Darragh O'Brien (Minister), Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment; James Browne (Minister), Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; Andrew Munro (Assistant Secretary), Department of Justice
Intent: To express FLAC's concerns and recommendations about proposed judicial review reforms.
Methods: MeetingEmail
Details by Method
Meeting
In person conversation with Mr Andrew Munro, Head of Legislation for Civil Justice, Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration at the Department of Justice offices on 16 April 2026.
Email
Letter dated 21 April 2026 copied to Andrew Munro, Head of Legislation for Civil Justice, Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.
Email
Letter sent by email dated 19 March 2026 to Jim O’Callaghan TD, Minister for Justice, Home, Affairs & Migration; Jack Chambers TD, Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Services, Reform and Digitalisation; Darragh O’Brien TD, Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy and Minister for Transport, and; James Browne TD, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
Politician(s) lobbied: Matt Carthy (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Paula Butterly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Tom Brabazon (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Catherine Callaghan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Albert Dolan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Gary Gannon (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Alan Kelly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Pádraig O'Sullivan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Mark Ward (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Robbie Gallagher (Senator), Seanad; Garret Kelleher (Senator), Seanad; Michael McDowell (Senator), Seanad; Anne Rabbitte (Senator), Seanad; Lynn Ruane (Senator), Seanad
Intent: To engage with the Oireachtas Committee in relation to FLAC's concerns about the General Scheme of the Civil Reform Bill
Methods: Email
Details by Method
Email
Emails to the Committee concerning FLAC's submission and appearance before them dated 3 February, 24 February, 25 February and 19 March 2026
Politician(s) lobbied: Unknown
Intent: To lobby Oireachtas members for change in the civil legal aid system and for change in Ireland's equality legislation.
Methods: Unknown
Details by Method
Method not specified
Email sent to all members of the Oireachtas regarding International Women's Day
Method not specified
access to justice for women
Method not specified
civil legal aid and equality legislation.
Politician(s) lobbied: Matt Carthy (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Paula Butterly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Tom Brabazon (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Michael Cahill (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Catherine Callaghan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Gary Gannon (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Alan Kelly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Pádraig O'Sullivan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Mark Ward (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Robbie Gallagher (Senator), Seanad; Garret Kelleher (Senator), Seanad; Michael McDowell (Senator), Seanad; Anne Rabbitte (Senator), Seanad; Lynn Ruane (Senator), Seanad; Jim O'Callaghan (Minister), Department of Justice; Tom Clonan (Senator), Seanad; Angela Denning (Chief Executive Officer), The Courts Service
Intent: A meeting with the Oireachtas Justice Committee regarding Civil Legal Aid.::To receive an update on civil legal aid reform and to request that the Minister would speak at a FLAC and TCD legal aid conference in January 2026.::To request recipients attendance at/participation in the FLAC and TCD Law School Conference on Civil Legal Aid reform in January 2026.
Methods: EmailEvent / Reception
Details by Method
Email
Email sent to Oireachtas Justice Committee detailing the crisis in Civil Legal Aid and requesting a meeting with the Committee. Email sent on the Wednesday 8th October 2025. Response from the Committee received on Wednesday 15th October.
Email
Follow up email sent to Justice Committee regarding a meeting about Civil Legal Aid.
Email
Letter by Email to Senator Tom Clonan (7/11/25).Letter by Email to Senator Lynn Ruane (7/11/25).Email to members of the Oireachtas Justice Committee (28/11/25)Letter by email to Angela Denning, CEO of the Courts Service (7/11/25)
Email
Letters sent to Jim O'Callaghan TD, Minister for Justice, Home Affairs & Migration, by email on 8 and 30 October 2025.Follow-up emails sent on 12, November, 4 December, 5 December, and 8 December 2025.
Event / Reception
Met the Minister at an event in the Department of Justice on 5 November
Politician(s) lobbied: Andrew Munro (Assistant Secretary), Department of Justice
Intent: To seek information around the scope of the Bill and the timeframe for its drafting and publication, and to express FLAC's views regarding the process which should be followed in this regard.
Methods: Email
Details by Method
Email
Letter sent by email on 8 October 2025
Politician(s) lobbied: Carol Baxter (Assistant Secretary), Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Intent: To brief the Department on the need for enhanced funding in this area and to request additional funding.
Methods: EmailMeeting
Details by Method
Email
Funding proposal sent by email on 19 December 2025
Meeting
Zoom meeting on 21 November 2025.
Politician(s) lobbied: Jim O'Callaghan (Minister), Department of Justice; Oonagh McPhillips (Secretary General), Department of Justice
Intent: Increased funding for FLAC in Budget 2026.
Methods: Email
Details by Method
Email
Letter sent by email on 9 September 2025.
