SAFE Ireland National Social Change Agency CLG T/A SAFE Ireland

Lobbying Organisation SAFE Ireland National Social Change Agency CLG T/A SAFE Ireland

Date published 01 Sep, 2022

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Housing

Period 1 May, 2022 to 31 Aug, 2022

Specific Details Housing supports for victims of domestic violence

Intended results The development and integration of a national domestic abuse Whole Housing approach. Capital Assistance Scheme reform Housing legislation reform Improve housing supports and move on options available from refuge for victims of domestic violence.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity CEO Mary McDermott; Lisa Marmion Services Development 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

Mass communications

Email All Oireachtas Members Email circulated to all TD's, Senators and party spokespersons on housing on the 2nd August containing pdf attachment of Safe Ireland's Domestic Violence Housing Brief. A response was received by email on 5th August from Bernard Durkan TD who said he would make representations to the Minister for Housing on our behalf. Another response was received 2nd August from Brendan Smith TD who said he would support the work of Safe Ireland.

Email All Local Authority Members Email circulated to all of the Local Authorities Housing Directors the 2nd August containing pdf attachment of Safe Ireland's Domestic Violence Housing Brief which was prepared by Lisa Marmion and email was issued from Mary McDermott's email.

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (1)

Email circulated to Minister for Justice Helen McEntee on the 2nd August containing pdf attachment of Safe Ireland's Domestic Violence Housing Brief. Document was prepared by Lisa Marmion and email was issued from Mary McDermott's email.

Email (1)

Email circulated to Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien on the 2nd August containing pdf attachment of Safe Ireland's Domestic Violence Housing Brief. Document was prepared by Lisa Marmion and email was issued from Mary McDermott's email.

Email (1)

Email circulated to Minister Roderic O'Groman on the 2nd August containing pdf attachment of Safe Ireland's Domestic Violence Housing Brief. Document was prepared by Lisa Marmion and email was issued from Mary McDermott's email.

Email (2-5)

Email circulated to the following Senior Housing Policy Advisors on 2nd August containing pdf attachment of Safe Ireland's Domestic Violence Housing Brief. Email was sent in 2-3 batches to the following: Graham Doyle, Paul Altman, Kevin Dillon, Caroline Timmons, Fiona Quinn, Aine Stapleton, Maria Graham, Feargal O'Coighligh, Marguerite Ryan, David Dalton, Catherine Comer, Miriam Cadwell, Derek Rafferty, Siobhan NicThighearnain, Sean Armstrong, Ailbhe McLoughlin. Document was prepared by Lisa Marmion and email was issued from Mary McDermott's email.

Letter (1)

Letter issued by email to Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien on 13th May 2022 in pdf format to request a meeting to discuss improving housing supports for women and children who are victims of domestic violence. We highlighted the following points for discussion in the letter which we listed as follows: 1. National Building Programme for Refuge Development; 2. Capital Assistance Scheme Reform; 3. Housing Legislation Reform

Virtual Meeting (1)

Webex meeting Wednesday 20th July with representatives from the Department of Housing Nora Rowland, Rosemarie Tobin and Rúairí Ferrie and Lisa Marmion Services Development Manager and CEO Mary McDermott representing Safe Ireland.

Email (1)

Email to Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien from CEO Safe Ireland Mary McDermott on 15th July with a summary note attached as a pdf containing some of Safe Ireland's domestic violence accommodation /refuge concerns and positive innovations and recommendations.

Meeting (1)

In person meeting in the Minister for Housing's office in Leinster House on 6th July 2022 at 4.30 pm at which Senior Civil Servants in the Department of Housing were present including Aidan O'Reilly and Niamh Redmond and from Safe Ireland - CEO Mary McDermott and Services Development Manager Lisa Marmion to discuss the following points: 1. National Building Programme for Refuge Development; 2. Capital Assistance Scheme Reform; and 3. Housing Legislation Reform as well as the general improvement of housing supports for victims of domestic violence 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.

Helen McEntee Minister (Department of Justice)

Roderic O'Gorman Minister (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)

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

Graham Doyle Secretary General (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)

Kevin Dillon Special Adviser (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)

Fiona Quinn Assistant Secretary (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)

Feargal Ó Coigligh Assistant Secretary (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)

Aine Stapleton Assistant Secretary (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)

Caroline Timmons Acting Assistant Secretary (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)

Marguerite Ryan Acting Assistant Secretary (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)

Maria Graham Assistant Secretary (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)