National Federation of Voluntary Service Providers Supporting People with Intellectual Disability (National Federation of Voluntary Service Providers Supporting People with Intellectual Disability)

Lobbying Organisation National Federation of Voluntary Service Providers Supporting People with Intellectual Disability

Date published 21 Sep, 2023

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Budgetary matters

Period 1 May, 2023 to 31 Aug, 2023

Specific Details Calling for sufficient funding to meet unmet needs for people with disabilities in Budget 2024, and to ensure sustainability of service provision

Intended results Sufficient funding to meet unmet needs for people with disabilities in Budget 2024, and to ensure sustainability of service provision

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Alison Harnett, National Federation Secretariat Team, & National Federation Members

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? National Federation coordinated with members to engage Oireachtas members in their own constituencies on the National Federation's Pre-Budget 2024 messages. The National Federation issued resources to support members - Our 2024 Pre-Budget Submission (sets out the key issues facing people with intellectual disabilities) - Template invitation letter to TDs & Senators inviting them to meetings to discuss the Budget - PowerPoint presentation on the Pre-Budget Submission - Easy-to-read version of Submission

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Mass communications

Email All Oireachtas Members National Federation coordinated with members to engage Oireachtas members in their own constituencies on the National Federation's Pre-Budget 2024 messages.

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (2-5)

July 7th 2023 - The National Federation Pre-Budget 2024 submission which called for: Equality of Opportunity, Equality of Access and Equity of Resourcing for people with intellectual disabilities in Ireland was sent to Minister O'Gorman and Minister Rabbitte. Special advisor Noel Byrne was copied on this email.

Email (2-5)

Email sent to TD Duncan Smith (sent 5th July 2023) and Senator Annie Hoey (sent 10th July) with the National Federation Budget 2024 Messages and the Oireachtas Disability Group Budget 2024 Messages attached. In the body of the email, links to a series of RTE liveline interviews with parents of people with intellectual disabilities were shared and we asked about a follow up meeting with members of the Labour Party's policy development team.

Meeting (1)

July 17th 2023 - Meeting between National Federation Chairperson Michael Hennessey, National Federation Chief Executive Alison Harnett, National Federation Section 39 Task Group Chairperson Pat Reen, National Federation Board Member Fiona O'Neill and Minister Roderic O'Gorman was held. Key key issues raised included threats to the sustainability of Section 38 and Section 39 Organisations, Pay parity for Section 39 organisations, and key asks in relation to Budget 2024.

Meeting (1)

July 4th 2023 - Meeting between National Federation Chairperson Michael Hennessey, National Federation Chief Executive Alison Harnett, and Colm O'Conaill Assistant Secretary General in Department of Children Equality Disability Integration and Youth was held. The agenda for this meeting included: the provision of inflationary pressures funding in Budget 2024, Pay Parity for Section 39 organisations and issues in relation to the European Working Time Directive.

Social Media (2-5)

Series of tweets on August 6th 2023 tagging Minister Roderic O'Gorman and Minister Anne Rabbitte outlining what is needed for people with intellectual disabilities and autism in Ireland: 1) rights based planning for the residential support needs of adults with intellectual disabilities and autism 2) commitment to Article 19 of #UNCRPD - support people to maximise their independence 3) full funding for the 1st year of the Disability Action Plan in #Budget24 to begin to make 1) and 2) a reality

Social Media (1)

Retweet on July 28th 2023 of a post by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth which tagged Minister Anne Rabbitte and Minister Roderic O'Gorman. The retweet on July 29th 2023 welcomed the governments approval of the Disability Action Plan to progress the Disability Capacity Review and highlighted that it need to be published without delay and resourced in budget 2024.

Social Media (1)

Retweeted of a post by Minister Anne Rabbitte on July 26th 2023 welcoming the government approval of the disability action plan.

Social Media (2-5)

On July 12th 2023 tweeted calls to publish and fund the Action Plan for the Disability Capacity Review. Tagged Minister Anne Rabbitte, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Taniste Michael Martin, TD May Lou McDonald, TD Holly Cairns, TD Ivana Bacik, Minister Roderic O'Gorman. On July 12th 2023 retweeted Siobhan Bryan CEO of Muiriosa Foundation call for significant investment in residential services - tagging relevant TDs nationally and locally

Social Media (1)

Tweet on June 22nd 2023 - Welcoming the launch of the Implementation Plan for the Housing Strategy for Disabled People 2022-2027. This tweet used the DisabilityBudget2024 hashtag. It tagged TD Darragh O'Brien, Minister Paschal Donohoe and Minister Michael McGrath

Social Media (1)

Tweet on June 15th 2023 - Thank you to elected representatives that met the Oireachtas Disability Group members to discuss key issue relevant to Budget 2024. Tagged TD Duncan Smith, TD Ivana Bacik, TD Pauline Tully

Social Media (1)

Tweet June 12th 2023 - Highlighting the National Federation's participation at the National Economic Dialogue Forum. Tagged Minister Paschal Donohoe.

Meeting (1)

8 May 2023 in person- meeting between National Federation Member Organisation - Reachability, families of people supported, and Minister James Brown, TD Verona Murphy and Senator Malcolm Byrne to discuss significant challenges being experienced by people with ID, families and service providers. Shared Budget messages of National Federation. Attended by Alison Harnett Chief Executive

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.

Roderic O'Gorman Minister (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)

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

Duncan Smith TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Annie Hoey Senator (Seanad)

Colm O Conaill Director (Department of Health)

Leo Varadkar Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)

Micheál Martin Tánaiste and Minister (Department of the Taoiseach)

Mary Lou McDonald TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Holly Cairns TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Ivana Bacik TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Robert Troy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Peter Burke TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Sorca Clarke TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Barry Cowen TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Charles Flanagan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Brian Stanley TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Martin Heydon TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Darragh O'Brien Minister (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)

Paschal Donohoe Minister (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)

Michael McGrath Minister (Department of Finance)

Pauline Tully TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Noel Byrne Special Adviser (Department of Health)

Malcolm Byrne Senator (Seanad)

Verona Murphy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

James Browne Minister of State (Department of Justice)

Pauline Tully TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)