Special Olympics Ireland (Special Olympics Ireland)

Lobbying Organisation Special Olympics Ireland

Date published 08 Jan, 2018

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Sports and Recreation

Period 1 Sep, 2017 to 31 Dec, 2017

Specific Details Letter issued on 4th October 2017 to An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Minister Simon Harris and Minister Catherine Byrne from Matt English CEO of Special Olympics Ireland. The letter was a 'thank you' to all politicians for the award announced on October 3rd 2017 for funding of E54,221.05 to Special Olympics Young Athletes Programme from the Healthy Ireland fund. The letter contained a request that this funding be continued after March 2018 (the current end date).

Intended results That Healthy Ireland's funding for the Young Athletes' programme be continued after March 2018 (the current end date).

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Matt English, CEO (letter), Ally Healy Orme, Executive Assistant, (issued scans of letter by email to named TD's)

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.

Letter (2-5)

Individual letters to Taoiseach Varadkar and ministers Harris and Byrne were issued on 3rd October 2017 from Special Olympics Central Office in Blanchardstown. Each contained similar wording. A small change was made to letter issued to Minister Byrne and those issued to the Taoiseach and Minister Harris: Both the Taoiseach and Minister Harris had met 5 Young Athletes during the press conference the funding was awarded at; Minister Byrne did not meet all young athletes so the wording was altered to reflect this.

Email (2-5)

An email of each letter was issued on 3rd October 2017 to the Taoiseach's office and Minister Byrne and Harris' Oireachtas email addresses. These emails each contained scans of hard copies of the letters issued that same day.

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.

Leo Varadkar Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)

Catherine Byrne Minister of State (Department of Health)

Simon Harris Minister (Department of Health)