Why the AV Room Matters Now: Bringing Philanthropy’s Potential to Leinster House

by: Sinead Dalton, Communications, Awareness and Strategy Lead

On 22 September, The Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Philanthropy Ireland, the Stimulating and Incentivising Subgroup, and the Comms Subgroup will bring the National Philanthropy Policy directly to Ministers, TDs, Senators and senior government officials at a critical point in its implementation and just weeks ahead of Budget 2027.

The National Philanthropy Policy has a clear ambition: to deepen understanding of philanthropy, create a more enabling environment for giving and strengthen engagement between Government, philanthropy and civil society.

As we reach the midpoint of the Policy’s 2024–2028 implementation period, the focus must increasingly move from commitment to action.

That is why a focused briefing will be hosted by Minister Buttimer in the AV Room in Leinster House on:

Tuesday, 22 September 2026

4.00–5.00 p.m.

AV Room, Leinster House

The session, Philanthropy in Action: Implementing Ireland’s National Philanthropy Policy, is designed specifically for Ministers, TDs, Senators and relevant senior officials.

Why the AV Room?

The AV Room provides a valuable opportunity to bring the case for philanthropy directly into the heart of the parliamentary system.

It allows us to engage political representatives from across parties and constituencies in a focused, practical conversation, about what it is already making possible in communities throughout Ireland and what Government can do to help it achieve more.

The briefing will connect the national policy with tangible local impact. It will show how philanthropy is supporting communities, testing new approaches, strengthening services and helping successful ideas to grow.

Crucially, it will also reinforce an important principle: philanthropy does not replace the responsibility of Government or substitute for public expenditure. It can complement public investment, bring additional expertise and flexibility, support innovation and help Government and communities respond to challenges in new ways.

For many Oireachtas members, this may be their first opportunity to consider philanthropy as a strategic policy delivery partner. The AV Room gives us a platform to build that understanding, address legitimate questions and create practical routes for further engagement.

Why now?

The timing is deliberate.

The briefing takes place at a key point in the Budget 2027 process. Philanthropy Ireland has aligned with the put forward by the Stimulating and Incentivising Subgroup; proposals intended to encourage more private giving for public good, including the consideration of:

• Capital Acquisitions Tax relief for qualifying philanthropic donations arising from gifts or inheritances;

• Capital Gains Tax relief for qualifying donations arising from capital gains; and

• measures to encourage and normalise legacy giving.

Budget 2027 represents an important opportunity to demonstrate that Ireland is serious about creating an enabling environment for strategic giving.

Three practical asks

The AV Room briefing will conclude with three clear actions for political representatives and Government leaders.

1. SUPPORT

   • Support a structured Government process to assess the proposed CAT, CGT and legacy-giving measures ahead of and beyond Budget 2027.

2. OPEN

   • Open an appropriate route for engagement.

   • This may mean introducing the relevant senior official or policy team, inviting a briefing for a Department or senior management team, or exploring a pilot partnership where Government, philanthropy and civil society could work together.

3. IDENTIFY

   • Identify one priority, project or challenge within a department, portfolio or constituency where philanthropy could add value alongside public investment and bring it forward to the appropriate stakeholders for an initial conversation.

A platform for what comes next

The AV Room briefing is not an endpoint. Its value will be measured by what follows: new conversations, departmental briefings, introductions to officials, potential pilot partnerships and serious consideration of the policy measures that could encourage greater giving.

Ireland now has its first National Philanthropy Policy. The task for the second half of its implementation is to turn that framework into sustained action across Government and the philanthropic sector.

By bringing evidence, practical opportunities and clear asks into Leinster House at this important moment, we want to ensure that philanthropy is understood not as a substitute for Government, but as a valuable partner in delivering greater and more lasting public benefit.

If your organisation has a partnership, project or impact story that could help strengthen this case, we would be delighted to hear from you.