Treoir (Federation of Services for Unmarried Parents and their Children)

Lobbying Organisation Treoir (Federation of Services for Unmarried Parents and their Children)

Date published 18 Oct, 2017

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Social Protection

Period 1 Jan, 2017 to 30 Apr, 2017

Specific Details The administration of Exceptional Needs Payments (ENP), The conditions attached to the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA), Housing: Rent Supplement & Centralised Rent Clinics, Child Benefit and ineligibility mothers under 16 years of age, Restoration of Training Allowances, The Affordable Childcare Scheme and needs of young student parents, Young Fathers and Job Seekers Allowance

Intended results To fix anomalies in relation to the administration of the ENP scheme. To reduce the 2 year requirement for young parents on the BTEA. Improvements in the HAP scheme and greater protection for young renters. Change in the policy for young mothers U16 to receive child benefit directly. Incentivise young parents to return to training by either restoring the training allowance or improving incentives to halt the decline in numbers attending. Improve access to the ACS for young student parents. Increase in the rate of Job seekers allowance to young fathers to support their contributions to their child.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Margaret Morris National Co-ordinator of the Teen Parenting Programme

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

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Meeting (1)

Meeting took place in the Department of social protection on the 19th January. In attendance were Dept of Social Protection: Minister Varadkar, Simonetta Ryan, Assistant Secretary; Noel Hand, Principal Officer and Philip O'Callagher, Policy & Parliamentary Advisor to Minister Varadkar. TPSP: Margaret Morris, National Co-ordinator, Esther Pugh, Project Leader, Tracy Skerret, Project Leader

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.

Leo Varadkar Minister (Department of Social Protection)

Simonetta Ryan Assistant Secretary (Department of Social Protection)