Ruhama

Lobbying Organisation Ruhama

Date published 09 May, 2017

Relevant Matter Legislation

Public Policy Area Justice and Equality

Period 1 Jan, 2017 to 30 Apr, 2017

Specific Details Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015 (later the Act 2017)

Intended results Full criminalisation of the purchase of sex Decriminalisation of those who solicit for the purposes of prostitution Tougher penalties for those who organise prostitution

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Sarah Benson, Ruhama CEO

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? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Mass communications

Letter All Senators Letter sent by email to all Senators, encouraging them to support the swift and full passage of the Sexual Offences Bill

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Social Media (2-5)

Activity on Twitter directed at individual TDs and Senators encouraging them to support the Sexual Offences Bill and thanking/congratulating them when it became law

Letter (1)

Letter to the Tanaiste regarding the need for the effective implementation of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017

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.

Frances Fitzgerald Tánaiste and Minister (Department of Justice and Equality)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn Senator (Seanad)

Ivana Bacik Senator (Seanad)

Katherine Zappone Minister (Department of Children and Youth Affairs)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin Senator (Seanad)

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

David Stanton Minister of State (Department of Justice and Equality)

Jim O'Callaghan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)