SAFE Ireland National Social Change Agency CLG T/A SAFE Ireland

Lobbying Organisation SAFE Ireland National Social Change Agency CLG T/A SAFE Ireland

Date published 20 May, 2016

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Justice and Equality

Period 1 Jan, 2016 to 30 Apr, 2016

Specific Details SAFE Ireland Election Rally which took place on the 16th of February in the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, 8 Golden Lane, Dublin.

Intended results That all candidates and political parties in General Election 2016 Face Up to Domestic Violence and make it a priority issue for the next Government. That all general election candidates support 3 specific actions: 1. Allocate an additional €30million annually (from 2017) to address immediate gaps in our struggling services and to ensure vital prevention work. 2. Appoint a Minister, Department and Cabinet Sub-Committee to spearhead a determined, whole of Government response to domestic violence. 3. Enact new legislation on domestic violence and victims' rights, with a commitment to look at the definition of domestic violence.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Sharon O' Halloran, Chief Executive Officer

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? To ask all Election Candidates to support 3 specific actions to improve the lives of women and children who are the victims of domestic violence: 1. Allocate an additional €30million annually (from 2017) to address immediate gaps in our struggling services and to ensure vital prevention work. 2. Appoint a Minister, Department and Cabinet Sub-Committee to spearhead a determined, whole of Government response to domestic violence. 3. Enact new legislation on domestic violence and victims' rights, with a commitment to look at the definition of domestic violence.

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Mass communications

Email All Oireachtas Members Email inviting all Oireachtas Members to the SAFE Ireland Election Rally sent on the 2nd of February, reminder email sent on the 8th and 12th of February.

Email All Councillors Email inviting all Councillors to the SAFE Ireland Election Rally sent on the 2nd of February, reminder email sent on the 8th and 12th of February.

Email All MEPs Email inviting all MEP's to the SAFE Ireland Election Rally sent on the 2nd of February, reminder email sent on the 8th and 12th of February.

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Letter (21-30)

Letter of Invitation sent on the 4th of February to a number of Elected Representatives (Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Ministers, MEPs, TDs and Councillors) to invite them to the SAFE Ireland Election Rally and to ensure that their party was represented at the Election Rally.

Lobby day (1)

SAFE Ireland held an Election Rally on the 16th of February 2016 in the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, 8 Golden Lane, Dublin. The following candidates were on our panel of speakers at the event: Minister for Justice & Equality Frances Fitzgerald TD, Mary Lou McDonald, Deputy Leader, Sinn Fein, Anne Ferris TD, Labour Party, Cllr. Roderic O' Gorman, Green Party, Cllr. Éilis Ryan, Workers Party and Mary Fitzpatrick, Fianna Fail.

Social Media (11-20)

Invites and reminders of the event were put up on both the SAFE Ireland Facebook and Twitter. There were live tweets from candidates who spoke on the panel (this was also linked to the SAFE Ireland Facebook page). Pictures of the event and a status about the event were posted on our Facebook the following day. The hashtag used for the Election Rally was #FaceUpToDomesticViolence and #GE16 to link in with the discussion around the general election.

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.

Enda Kenny Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)

Frances Fitzgerald Minister (Department of Justice and Equality)

Joan Burton Tánaiste and Minister (Department of Social Protection)

James Reilly Minister (Department of Children and Youth Affairs)

Micheál Martin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Gerry Adams TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Mary Lou McDonald TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Niall Collins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Ruth Coppinger TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Richard Boyd Barrett TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Billy Kelleher TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Brian Hayes MEP (European Parliament)

Lucinda Creighton TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Matt Carthy MEP (European Parliament)

Alan Kelly Minister (Department of Environment, Community and Local Government)

Shane Ross TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Finian McGrath TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Róisín Shortall TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Catherine Murphy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Joe Higgins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Clare Daly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Eamon Ryan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Anne Ferris TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Roderic O'Gorman Councillor (Fingal County Council)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin Minister of State (Department of Justice and Equality)

Éilis Ryan Councillor (Dublin City Council)