Irish Cancer Society

Lobbying Organisation Irish Cancer Society

Date published 21 May, 2021

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Health

Period 1 Jan, 2021 to 30 Apr, 2021

Specific Details Covid-19 impact on cancer services and patients

Intended results To raise awareness among TDs of Covid-19's impact upon cancer services and on cancer patients and survivors; To advocate for the prioritisation of cancer patients and their carers in Ireland's Covid-19 vaccination strategy, for the prioritisation of parents and carers of children with cancer in Ireland's Covid-19 vaccination strategy, for the continuation of urgent cancer care, and for the continuation of screening programmes where safe to do so; To mitigate the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic upon cancer screening services; To seek publication of continuity plans for screening, diagnostics and cancer treatment; To seek clarity on the timeline for the COVID-19 vaccination rollout; To advocate for the exemption of cancer patients from mandatory hotel quaranting where they are returning from having cancer-related treatment in an EU Member State

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Rachel Morrogh, Director of Advocacy and External Affairs; Conor King, Acting CEO; Úna Fannon, Grassroots Advocacy Coordinator

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?) Yes

Current or Former Designated Public Official(s)

Averil Power (Former DPO) Senator (Seanad)

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? Yes

What is the directive you gave to the grassroots campaigners? To contact their local TDs and raise awareness of Covid-19's impact upon cancer services and on cancer patients and survivors, and to advocate for cancer patients to be vaccinated against Covid-19 in a timely manner and for cancer screening services to be protected.

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (21-30)

The following emails were sent by Irish Cancer Society volunteer grassroots Advocacy Champions: email to Pearse Doherty TD 1.3.21; email exchange with Richard Bruton TD 19.1.21-22.1.21; email exchange with Seán Haughey TD 19.1.21-30.3.21; email exchange with Cian O’Callaghan TD 19.1.21-20.1.21; email to Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD 19.1.21; email to Denise Mitchell TD 19.1.21; email to Gary Gannon TD 25.3.21; email to Alan Farrell TD 13.1.21; email to Minister Darragh O’Brien 13.1.21; email to Minister Joe O’Brien 13.1.21; email to Louise O’Reilly TD 13.1.21; email to Duncan Smith TD 13.1.21; email to Dessie Ellis TD 21.3.21;; email exchange with Catherine Connolly TD 26.3.21-1.4.21; email to Mairéad Farrell TD 26.3.21; email exchange with Minister Hildegarde Naughton 26.3.21-29.3.21; 2 emails to Noel Grealish TD 10.2.21-26.3.21; email exchange with Éamon Ó Cuív TD 11.2.21-26.3.21; email to Marc McSharry TD 13.3.21; email to Martin Kenny TD 13.3.21; [continued below]

Email (6-10)

[continued] 2 emails to Minister Frank Feighan 18.2.21-27.2.21; 2 emails to Marian Harkin TD 19.2.21-27.2.21; email to Steven Matthews TD 22.3.21; email to Jennifer Whitmore TD 5.3.21;

Letter (2-5)

The following letters were sent by Irish Cancer Society volunteer grassroots Advocacy Champions: Letter to Pearse Doherty TD 20.1.21; letter to Minister Josepha Madigan 6.4.21

Phone call (2-5)

The following phone calls were made by Irish Cancer Society volunteer grassroots Advocacy Champions: Phone meeting with Cathal Crowe TD 4.2.21; phone call to Ciaran Cannon TD 27.3.21; phone call with Réada Cronin TD 26.3.21.

Virtual Meeting (11-20)

The following meetings were organised and conducted by Irish Cancer Society volunteer grassroots Advocacy Champions: Virtual meeting with Violet-Anne Wynne 9.2.21; virtual meeting with Pearse Doherty TD and Padraig Mac Lochlainn TD 5.2.21; virtual meeting with Thomas Pringle TD 8.3.21; virtual meeting with Neasa Hourigan TD 31.3.21; virtual meeting with James Lawless TD 5.3.21; virtual meeting with Bernard Durvan TD 5.3.21; virtual meeting with Catherine Murphy TD 10.3.21; virtual meeting with Minister Simon Harris 17.4.21; virtual meeting with Minister Stephen Donnelly’s staff 4.3.21; virtual meeting with Minister Frank Feighan 29.1.21; virtual meeting with Marian Harkin TD 1.2.21

Email (2-5)

The following emails were sent by full-time Irish Cancer Society staff: Email to Deputy Roisin Shortall 25.02.2021; Email to Deputy David Cullinane 04.03.2021.

Letter (6-10)

The following letters were sent by full time Irish Cancer Society staff: Letter to Minister Stephen Donnelly TD 08.01.2021; Letter 26.03.21 to Prof Karina Butler with Minister Stephen Donnelly cc'd; Letter to Minister Stephen Donnelly 15.04.21, Ministers Eamon Ryan and Simon Coveney cc'd.

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.

Bernard Durkan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Cathal Crowe TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Catherine Connolly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Catherine Murphy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Cian O'Callaghan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Ciarán Cannon Minister of State for the Diaspora and Overseas Development Aid (Department of Foreign Affairs)

Cormac Devlin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Denise Mitchell TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Dessie Ellis TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Éamon Ó Cuív TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Frank Feighan Minister of State (Department of Health)

Hildegarde Naughton Minister of State (Department of Transport)

James Lawless TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jennifer Whitmore TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Josepha Madigan Minister of State (Department of Education)

Mairéad Farrell TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Marc MacSharry TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Marian Harkin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Martin Kenny TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Noel Grealish TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Padráig Mac Lochlainn TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Pearse Doherty TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Réada Cronin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Richard Bruton TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Seán Haughey TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Simon Harris TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Stephen Donnelly Minister (Department of Health)

Thomas Byrne Minister of State (Department of the Taoiseach)

Thomas Pringle TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Violet Anne Wynne TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Alan Farrell TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Darragh O'Brien Minister (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)

Duncan Smith TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Gary Gannon TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Joe O'Brien Minister of State (Department of Rural and Community Development)

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

Neasa Hourigan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Steven Matthews TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Róisín Shorthall TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

David Cullinane TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Eamon Ryan Minister (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)

Simon Coveney Minister (Department of Foreign Affairs)