Higher Education Colleges Association (HECA)

Lobbying Organisation Higher Education Colleges Association (HECA)

Date published 17 Jan, 2020

Relevant Matter Legislation

Public Policy Area Education and Training

Period 1 Sep, 2019 to 31 Dec, 2019

Specific Details International Students Medical Insurance

Intended results To provide information regarding the consequences of the decision by the Health Insurance Authority that non-EEA students studying in Ireland on courses of more than one academic year are deemed to be "ordinarily resident" in Ireland for the purposes of the Health Insurance Acts. HECA proposed an amendment to the Health Insurance Acts, so that "international students" are specifically treated equitably with other temporary residents, such as temporary workers, who are specifically excluded.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Patricia O Sullivan, HECA Executive Director.

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.

Email (11-20)

Patricia O Sullivan, Executive Director of the Higher Education Colleges Association (HECA) emailed members of the Senad, members of the Joint Committee on Health and the Minister for Health, Minister for Justice & Equality, Minister for Higher Education and Skills, regarding the international students medicover and The Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2019.

Phone call (2-5)

Patricia O Sullivan, Executive Director of the Higher Education Colleges Association (HECA) phoned Senator Colm Burke regarding the international students medicover and The Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2019.

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.

Ivana Bacik Senator (Seanad)

David Norris Senator (Seanad)

Robbie Gallagher Senator (Seanad)

Alice-Mary Higgins Senator (Seanad)

Michael McDowell Senator (Seanad)

Lynn Ruane Senator (Seanad)

Keith Swanick Senator (Seanad)

Colm Burke Senator (Seanad)

Simon Harris Minister (Department of Health)

Charles Flanagan Minister (Department of Justice and Equality)

Máire Devine Senator (Seanad)

Louise O'Reilly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Bernard Durkan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Kate O'Connell TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Stephen Donnelly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Alan Kelly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Harty TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

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