Epilepsy Ireland

Lobbying Organisation Epilepsy Ireland

Date published 15 Sep, 2023

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Social Protection

Period 1 May, 2023 to 31 Aug, 2023

Specific Details Seeking that Ministers, TDs and Senators support our campaign around improving access to the Free Travel scheme for people with epilepsy.

Intended results That improved access to the Free Travel scheme for people with epilepsy restricted from driving be implemented.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Paddy McGeoghegan, Advocacy & Communications Manager

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? Yes

What is the directive you gave to the grassroots campaigners? When sharing information about this campaign on our website and social media channels, we encourage our supporters to contact their own local TDs and Senators to add their voice to the campaign.

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Meeting (1)

Met with Deputy Sean Sherlock and Senator Mark Wall in their positions as SP spokespeople, seeking that they support the campaign.

Email (2-5)

Thanked members of the Oireachtas Committee for Social Protection for including our proposals as a key recommendation within their proposals for Budget 2024.

Email (11-20)

Keeping in touch with supportive TDs/Senators on the status of our campaign and letting them know about any responses we had received. Trying to get new TDs/Senators involved.

Letter (1)

Wrote to Minister Humphreys seeking the status of her Department's investigations on our proposals and seeking a meeting to discuss further.

Email (2-5)

Seeking a meeting with Minister Rabitte to discuss the campaign.

Informal communication (1)

Spoke to Deputy Conway Walsh and agreed to send on further information about our campaign

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Aindrias Moynihan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Erin McGreehan Senator (Seanad)

Gary Gannon TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Seán Sherlock TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Mark Wall Senator (Seanad)

Rose Conway-Walsh TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Pádraig O'Sullivan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Catherine Ardagh Senator (Seanad)

Anne Rabbitte Minister of State (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)

Denis Naughten TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jackie Cahill TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Joe Carey TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Joan Collins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paul Donnelly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Éamon Ó Cuív TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paddy Burke Senator (Seanad)

Róisín Garvey Senator (Seanad)

Paul Gavan Senator (Seanad)

Eugene Murphy Senator (Seanad)

Brendan Griffin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Heather Humphreys Minister (Department of Social Protection)