Disability Federation of Ireland

Lobbying Organisation Disability Federation of Ireland

Date published 21 Sep, 2020

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Justice and Equality

Period 1 May, 2020 to 31 Aug, 2020

Specific Details COVID-19

Intended results For people with disabilities to be included, and for their needs to be taken into consideration, in any decision making in response to COVID-19

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Fleachta Phelan, Joanne McCarthy, John Dolan, Ríona Morris, PJ Cleere

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

Mass communications

Email All Local Authority Members 1 Email was sent to all Local Authorities on 27/05/20 encouraging them to actively consult with people with disabilities and relevant organisations to ensure the requirements of the UN CRPD & Public Sector Duty were adhered to in the planning for the re-opening of towns and cities post COVID-19.

Email All Councillors 1 Email was sent to all Councillors on 31/08/20 encouraging them to continue to consult with people with disabilities and relevant organisations to ensure the rights of people with disabilities are adhered to as Local Authorities develop their 'Interim Mobility Plans'.

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (2-5)

1 email was on 14/05/20 to Deputy Michel McNamara TD (Chair of the Dáil Special Committee on COVID-19 Response) seeking the spotlight of disability issues. 1 letter sent via email on 28/05/20 to Deputy Michael McNamara TD highlighting issue for people with disabilities as Ireland plans for the post COVID-19 recovery phase and seeking an opportunity to present to the Committee on these issues.

Submission (1)

1 submission was sent via email on 25/05/20 to the Special Committee on COVID-19 Response on 'Under 65s in Nursing Homes'.

Email (11-20)

A joint submission from DFI, Muscular Dystrophy Ireland & Cystic Fibrosis Ireland entitled 'Submission to NPHET - The Social Protection Needs of People with Disabilities who are High-Risk to COVID-19' was sent multiple times via email as outlined below: On 03/06/20 to - Minister Regina Doherty, Minister Simon Harris, Ministers Paschal Donohoe. On 18/06/20 to - Deputy Willie O'Dea TD, Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh TD, Deputy Gerald Nash TD, Deputy John Brady TD, Deputy Gary Gannon TD. On 16/07/20 to - Minister Heather Humphreys. On 20/08/20 to - Senator Ivana Bacik, Deputy Alan Kelly TD, Deputy Sean Sherlock TD, Deputy David Cullinane TD, Deputy Claire Kerrane TD, Deputy Kathleen Funchion TD. Deputy Gary Gannon TD, Deputy Roisin Shortall TD, Deputy Jennifer Whitmore TD.

Social Media (2-5)

The joint submission outlined above was also tweeted about 4-5 times.

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.

Colm Brophy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Colm Burke TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Mary Butler TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Matt Carthy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Collins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

David Cullinane TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Pearse Doherty TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Stephen Donnelly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Norma Foley TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

John McGuinness TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael McNamara TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Fergus O'Dowd TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

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

Matt Shanahan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Róisín Shorthall TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Bríd Smith TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Duncan Smith TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Ossian Smyth TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Regina Doherty Minister (Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection)

Simon Harris Minister (Department of Health)

Paschal Donohoe Minister (Department of Finance)

Willie O'Dea TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Gerald Nash TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

John Brady TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Gary Gannon TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Heather Humphreys Minister (Department of Social Protection)

Ivana Bacik Senator (Seanad)

Alan Kelly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Seán Sherlock TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Claire Kerrane TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Kathleen Funchion TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jennifer Whitmore TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)