Irish SME Association

Politician(s) lobbied: Sinéad Gibney (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Deirdre Gillane (Chief of Staff), Department of the Taoiseach; Michael Lowry (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Timmy Dooley (Minister of State), Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment; Seán Canney (Minister of State), Department of Transport; Albert Dolan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; James O'Connor (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Brian Brennan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; John Clendennen (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Rose Conway-Walsh (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Paul Donnelly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Paul Gogarty (Councillor), South Dublin County Council; Tony McCormack (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Ollie Crowe (Senator), Seanad; Mary Fitzpatrick (Senator), Seanad; Aubrey McCarthy (Senator), Seanad; Conor Murphy (Senator), Seanad; Linda Nelson Murray (Senator), Seanad; Brian Keegan (Special Advisor), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Stephen Kinsella (Special Adviser), Department of the Taoiseach; Clare Mungovan (Special Advisor), Department of Foreign Affairs; Hugh O’Connell (Deputy Government Press Secretary), Department of the Taoiseach; Kieran McQuinn (Special Advisor to the Taoiseach), Department of the Taoiseach; Declan Hughes (Secretary General), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; John Hogan (Secretary General), Department of Finance; Clare Costello (Assistant Secretary), Department of Finance; Sinead Ryan (Assistant Secretary), Department of Finance

Intent: To ensure we rebalance the economy away from our dependence of FDI businesses by scaling domestic businesses

Methods: EmailLetter

Politician(s) lobbied: Peter Burke (Minister), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Brian Keegan (Special Advisor), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Intent: Introductory meeting between ISME Chair and Enterprise Minister to update him on policy priorities for SMEs, business costs, energy costs and the pay transparency directive

Methods: EmailMeeting

Politician(s) lobbied: Norma Foley (Minister), Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; Peter Burke (Minister), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Kevin McCarthy (Secretary General), Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; Declan Hughes (Secretary General), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Intent: Seeking a meeting with DCDE to request a delay in transposition to allow time for proportionate, coherent and workable implementation, while also allowing for the identification and consideration of potential simplification measures with the PTD

Methods: Email

Politician(s) lobbied: Norma Foley (Minister), Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; Peter Burke (Minister), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Kevin McCarthy (Secretary General), Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; Declan Hughes (Secretary General), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Intent: Requesting the Minister to introduce a stop-the-clock on transposition of the directive until challenges for employers have been addressed.

Methods: EmailLetter

Politician(s) lobbied: Micheál Martin (Taoiseach), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Simon Harris (Minister), Department of Finance; Jack Chambers (Minister), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform; Peter Burke (Minister), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; John Callinan (Second Secretary General), Department of the Taoiseach; John Hogan (Secretary General), Department of Finance; David Moloney (Secretary General), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform; Declan Hughes (Secretary General), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Intent: • First, the need to deliver regulatory simplification.• Second, the need for the EU to fully mobilise the Single Market .• Third, the need to ensure a level playing field for SMEs.• Fourth, the need to provide energy resilience and affordability for SME competitiveness. • Fifth, the need to ensure digital sovereignty for SMEs. • Sixth, the need for affordable access to finance for SMEs.• Lastly, the need to understand that SMEs are a key factor in economic resilience

Methods: Email

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

Intent: Amendment of the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009 to ban upward only rent reviews in leases which pre-date February 2010

Methods: Email

Politician(s) lobbied: Paschal Donohoe (Minister), Department of Finance; Peter Burke (Minister), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Robert Troy (Minister of State), Department of Finance; John Hogan (Secretary General), Department of Finance; Declan Hughes (Secretary General), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Clare Costello (Assistant Secretary), Department of Finance; Sinead Ryan (Assistant Secretary), Department of Finance

Intent: Removal of the 'on or before' requirement in Revenue reporting of the small benefit exemption

Methods: Email

Politician(s) lobbied: Paschal Donohoe (Minister), Department of Finance; Peter Burke (Minister), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Robert Troy (Minister of State), Department of Finance; John Hogan (Secretary General), Department of Finance; Declan Hughes (Secretary General), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Clare Costello (Assistant Secretary), Department of Finance; Sinead Ryan (Assistant Secretary), Department of Finance

Intent: Sought variation on qualifying sales for Section 56 Export VAT, review of entrepreneurial incentives, tax treatment of ETFs

Methods: Email

Politician(s) lobbied: Peter Burke (Minister), Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Louise O'Donnell (Deputy Chairperson), Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation

Intent: To ensure that employers and employees would not not be disadvantaged by the failure to fill a seat in the Labour Court Division.

Methods: Email

Politician(s) lobbied: James Lawless (Minister), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; William Beausang (Assistant Secretary), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Colm O'Reardon (Secretary General), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

Intent: Sought a meeting with the DFHERIS minister to ensure that the budgetary allocation for skills training would not be reduced in Budget 2026

Methods: EmailLetter