Down Syndrome Ireland

Lobbying Organisation Down Syndrome Ireland

Date published 19 Sep, 2025

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Education and Training

Period 1 May, 2025 to 31 Aug, 2025

Specific Details Issues surrounding education equality for children with Down syndrome.

Intended results Change in ensuring equality in education for children with Down syndrome.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Peggy Ryan

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)

Attended a meeting with Sinn Fein representatives to discuss issues that included: Access to Mild & Moderate General Learning Disability classes in mainstream schools; current policy challenges; SNA allocation and SET allocation to mainstream schools; lack of GLD classes and access to same in post-primary schools and pressure on members to access Special Schools instead.

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.

Darren O'Rourke TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Mairéad Farrell TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)