Dignity Ireland (Dignity Ireland)

Lobbying Organisation Dignity Ireland

Date published 21 Jan, 2022

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Transport

Period 1 Sep, 2021 to 31 Dec, 2021

Specific Details Additional support funding to enable ACTS to fit out new vans suitable as buses to cater for wheelchair users.

Intended results We are hoping to get funding to fit out from 1-3 buses. Fit out costs associated with each bus are in the order of €15,000 +VAT per bus.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Geraldine Graydon, Company Secretary. Mary Collins and Dara Carroll, Board Members. Dick Sheil, Interim Manager

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)

Contacted the following Politians Geraldine Graydon Emailed the following TD’s & Councillors November 17th Ossian Smith, Cormac Devlin and Ivana Bacik requesting help with funding situation and emailed briefing document on ACTS also request Zoom meetings to discuss funding situation Out Come – Ossian Smith held a Zoom meeting with board members on 26th Nov - IB was to raise the issue with Dept of Transport No feedback received from IB or CD CD & IB replied by email 9th December Councillor Carrie Smith requesting help with funding situation and emailed briefing document on ACTS – Out Come - spoke to CS on the phone 11th Dec who informed GG that DLR Co Co where not in a position to fund ACTS Meetings with the Following TD.s Nov 13thIvana Bacik– Board Member Mary Collins met with IB and asked for her help re ACTS funding Situation - Nov 16th Cormac Devlin - Nov 22nd Met with Richard Boyd Barrett. Dec 1st R BB raised a PQM in the Dail. Response received, signed An Taoiseach.

Phone call (2-5)

Dec 2nd D. Sheil spoke to Gerry Horkan following up on Zoom Meeting in May with Min Anne Rabbitte, Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

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.

Ossian Smyth TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Richard Boyd Barrett TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Cormac Devlin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Gerry Horkan Senator (Seanad)

Carrie Smyth Councillor (Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council)

Ivana Bacik TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)