Disability Federation of Ireland

Lobbying Organisation Disability Federation of Ireland

Date published 21 Sep, 2018

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Budgetary matters

Period 1 May, 2018 to 31 Aug, 2018

Specific Details Oireachtas Disability Group (ODG)'s Budget 2019 asks for funding for UN CRPD implementation - long submission and short infographic produced. ODG Membership is open to all Oireachtas Members. Four disability organsiations are also members: Disability Federation of Ireland, Inclusion Ireland, the National Federation of Voluntary Bodies and the Not for Profit Association. Chair: Senator John Dolan Vice Chair: Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Intended results •Optional Protocol Ratification •Individualised community-based services •Personal budgets & Rehabilitation •Pay restoration for staff in s.39 Health Act 2004 orgs •Transport grant & access •Address extra costs of living with disability •Medical Card earnings disregard •Disability Allowance •Employment activation •Social housing •HAP Placefinders, •Incentives for appropriate private construction & rentals •HAG •Assess/plan/support children & students & FET in ETBs •Conditionality for funding

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Anne Winslow, Fiona O'Donovan, Joan O'Connor

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?) Yes

Current or Former Designated Public Official(s)

John Dolan (Currently employed as a DPO) Senator (Seanad)

Caoimhghín Ó Caolaín (Currently employed as a DPO) TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? Yes

What is the directive you gave to the grassroots campaigners? DFI sent an update & link to the ODG infograph and DFI's own Pre-Budget Submission 2019 to all DFI member oranisations saying "we encourage you to use these and to contact your local TDs in the run up to Budget 2019".

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Mass communications

Email All Oireachtas Members 2-5 emails were sent to all Oireachtas Members to attend prepatory ODG meetings.

Email All Oireachtas Members 1 email was sent to all Oireachtas Members to attend the launch of the ODG's Budget 2019 submission.

Event / Reception All Oireachtas Members The launch of the ODG's Budget 2019 submission & infographic took place in the AV Room of Leinster House.

Email All Oireachtas Members The ODG's Budget 2019 submission & infographic were sent from the Chair, Senator John Dolan and Vice Chair Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Letter All Oireachtas Members The ODG's Budget 2019 submission & infographic were sent via postbox delivery by the Chair, John Dolan and Vice Chair Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Letter All Councillors The ODG's Budget 2019 submission & infographic were sent via postbox delivery by the Chair, John Dolan and Vice Chair Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Informal communication All Oireachtas Members 1 press release from the Chair, Senator John Dolan

Social Media All Oireachtas Members 1 post on the website of the Chair, Senator John Dolan 2 tweets from the Chair, Senator John Dolan reminding all Oireachtas Members to read the ODG Budget submission over the summer. Retweeted by DFI.

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Social Media (6-10)

Posts by the ODG Chair, Senator John Dolan promoting the budget asks. Targetted DPOs were: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Minister paschal O'Donoghue, Minister Finian McGrath, Minister Jim Daly, Minister Joseph Maddigan TD, Minister Mary Mitchell TD, Minister Paul Kehoe TD, Peadar Tobin TD, Margaret Murphy O'Mahony TD, John Curran TD, James Browne TD, Dara Calleary TD, Mattie McGrath TD, Tommy Broughan TD, Carol Nolan TD, Kevin O'Keeffe TD, Roisin Shorthall TD, Senator Collette Kelleher, Senator Gerry Horkan, Senator Gerry Horkan, Senator Victor Boyhan, Senator Maire Devine, Senator Martin Conway

Meeting (2-5)

Meetings of the Oireachtas Disability Group, ODG, in preparing for the joint ODG budget submission, variously attended by DPOs / their representatives: Senator John Dolan Caoimhghin O Caolain TD Senator Kieran O Donnell Senator Gerry Horkan Senator Colette Kelleher Senator Victor Boyhan Senator Martin Conway Senator Alice Mary Higgins Fiona O Loughlin TD Frank O Rourke TD Margaret Murphy O Mahony TD Seamus Healy TD Bobby Aylward TD Maureen O Sullivan TD Dara Callery TD Tommy Broughan TD Senator Paul Coughlan Joan Collins TD Colm Brophy TD James Lawless TD Thomas Pringle TD

Email (2-5)

Invites with Agendas/Minutes/Draft submission in preparations for meetings to DPOs engaged with the ODG: Senator John Dolan Caoimhghin O Caolain TD Senator Kieran O Donnell Senator Gerry Horkan Senator Colette Kelleher Senator Victor Boyhan Senator Martin Conway Senator Alice Mary Higgins Fiona O Loughlin TD Frank O Rourke TD Margaret Murphy O Mahony TD Seamus Healy TD Bobby Aylward TD Maureen O Sullivan TD Dara Callery TD Tommy Broughan TD Senator Paul Coughlan Joan Collins TD Colm Brophy TD James Lawless TD Thomas Pringle TD

Email (21-30)

Sent by DFI as secretariet/Chair/Vice Chair preparing the submission documents and dissemination of it. DPOs: Senator John Dolan, Caoimhghin O Caolain TD

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 Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)

Paschal Donohoe Minister (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)

Finian McGrath Minister of State (Department of Health)

Jim Daly Minister of State (Department of Health)

Josepha Madigan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Josepha Madigan Minister (Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor Minister of State (Department of Education and Skills)

Paul Kehoe TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paul Kehoe Minister of State (Department of the Taoiseach)

Paul Kehoe Minister of State (Department of Defence)

Peadar Tóibín TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

John Curran TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

James Browne TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Dara Calleary TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Mattie McGrath TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Tommy Broughan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Carol Nolan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Kevin O'Keeffe TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Róisín Shorthall TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Colette Kelleher Senator (Seanad)

Gerry Horkan Senator (Seanad)

Victor Boyhan Senator (Seanad)

Máire Devine Senator (Seanad)

Martin Conway Senator (Seanad)

Kieran O'Donnell Senator (Seanad)

Alice-Mary Higgins Senator (Seanad)

Fiona O'Loughlin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Frank O'Rourke TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Séamus Healy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Bobby Aylward TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

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

Paul Coghlan Senator (Seanad)

Joan Collins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Colm Brophy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

James Lawless TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Thomas Pringle TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

John Dolan Senator (Seanad)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)