Ability West

Lobbying Organisation Ability West

Date published 19 May, 2023

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Budgetary matters

Period 1 Jan, 2023 to 30 Apr, 2023

Specific Details Meeting with representative for further discussion, following on from earlier correspondence regarding declining compliance with HIQA standards, insufficient funding and pay parity.

Intended results To seek support to identify solutions to the resourcing and recruitment challenges faced by Ability West, which impacts on the quality and delivery of services to adults and children with intellectual disabilities.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity CEO, Audrey Pidgeon

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.

Meeting (1)

Meeting with the Minister to discuss the budgetary requirements to resolve the pay parity issue and the changing needs of the people we support and the heightened regulatory pressure to provide services that are not included in the budget allocation. Also discussed the recruitment crises in the disability sector.

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.

Anne Rabbitte Minister of State (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)

Mairéad Farrell TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Éamon Ó Cuív TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Catherine Connolly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)