Migrant Rights Centre Ireland

Lobbying Organisation Migrant Rights Centre Ireland

Date published 21 Jan, 2021

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Agriculture

Period 1 Sep, 2020 to 31 Dec, 2020

Specific Details Creation of a Joint Sub-Committee to oversee reform of the meat processing sector

Intended results To include workers voices in the Agri-Food Strategy 2030 and Beef Taskforce To make reforms that prevent bullying and discrimination To review production levels and wider safety concerns of workers in meat processing factories Introduction of mobility for all employment permit holders, similar to those for Critical Skills Permit Holders Increase the capacity of the Health and Safety Authority and for them to develop sector specific guidelines Creation of a Joint-Sub Committee to achieve the above

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Edel McGinley

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 complete an Uplift Email to Target action

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Letter (2-5)

1 letter per representative (Minister Varadkar and Minister McConalogue) with slightly adjusted Dept-specific but cross cutting requests. An Taoiseach was only contacted via the grassroots action above.

Phone call (2-5)

Calls re setting up a Joint Sub-Committee to oversee reform of the meat processing sector

Social Media (2-5)

2 tweets from Edel McGinley; 1 tweet from MRCI: directed at An Taoiseach, Minister Varadkar, and Minister McConalogue 1 tweet direct at members of the Oireachtas Special Committee on Covid-19 alongside a Press Release asking them to take on our recommendations for the meat sector.

Email (2-5)

Emails to TD's on launch of Meat Sector Report and calls to set up Joint Sub-Committee to oversee reform of the meat processing sector

Virtual Meeting (1)

Meeting with TD, who is the spokesperson on Equality; highlighted the findings from the report of migrant workers in the meat sector in Ireland.

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 Minister (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)

Charlie McConalogue Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Micheál Martin An Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)

Bríd Smith TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Colm Brophy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Colm Burke 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)

Cormac Devlin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Pearse Doherty TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Neasa Hourigan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paul McAuliffe TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael McNamara TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

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

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

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

Matt Shanahan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Róisín Shorthall TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Duncan Smith TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)