Tearfund Ireland

Lobbying Organisation Tearfund Ireland

Date published 20 Jan, 2020

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Foreign Affairs

Period 1 Sep, 2019 to 31 Dec, 2019

Specific Details 21 Nov 2019, Comhlámh Orphanage Working Group met members of the Dáil's Committee on Foreign Affairs & Trade: Outlined issues around volunteering in orphanages and the harm caused to children in institutional care. Asked for further discussion on these issues with the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade; and for the Joint Committee to consider all recommendations contained in the report Children First: A Global Perspective on Volunteering in Orphanages and Transforming Care.

Intended results Requested the DFA include advice against volunteering in orphanages as part of Travel Advisories. Recommend Irish Aid assist in transforming orphan care from institutions to family/community care models. Request Irish Aid to support Development Education resources toward awareness-raising and understanding of the issues involved with the institutionalisation of children in orphanages.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Emma Lynch of Tearfund Ireland, as part of the Comhlámh Orphanage Working Group

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)

Emma Lynch, staff member of Tearfund Ireland, along with other organisations which made up the Comhlámh Working Group, met Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Dáil, Brendan Smith TD, and committee member Nial Collins.

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.

Niall Collins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Brendan Smith TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)