Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children

Lobbying Organisation Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children

Date published 21 May, 2016

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Children and Youth Affairs

Period 1 Jan, 2016 to 30 Apr, 2016

Specific Details The ISPCC asked 2016 election candidates to Invest In Childhood by making a series of promises to children: Publish a national strategy on children’s cyber safety within 100 days. Fully resource the protection, welfare and mental health of our children. Ensure the right to an adequate standard of living for all children. Ensure a nationally available drug and alcohol rehabilitation network for all young people in need. Put the best interests of children at the heart of all new laws. - See mor

Intended results To see the issues identified by the ISPCC reflected in the programme for government and in policical parties' plans

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Grainia Long CEO, Mary Nicholson, Head of Advocacy, Lisa Collins, Policy Coordinator

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? Yes

What is the directive you gave to the grassroots campaigners? We developed a website investinchildhood.ie which provided members of the public with a template letter that they could send to their local candidate in support of the campaign. We emailed/met with staff and volunteers asking them to support the campign and provided them with the materials to contact their local representative.

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Mass communications

Email All Oireachtas Members We sent an email to all candidates, many of whom were sitting TDs/Senators, asking them to sign up to the campaign.

Submission All Oireachtas Members We phoned the majority of candidates who received the email to follow up on whether they would sign up to the campaign

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Event / Reception (6-10)

The campaign was launched in Buswells Hotel Dublin on 19th January.There were 5 regional events held in Dublin (15th February), Limerick (18th February), Mayo (4th February), Cork (29th January) and Dundalk (8th February). The aim of these events was to bring together candidates (many of whom were DPOs) and stakeholders to outline the ISPCC's campaign and to seek their support. All of these events had DPOs in attendance

Social Media (21-30)

There was a social media campaign run for the duration of the campaign (Jan 19th - Feb 26th). This involved tweeting DPOs directly

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.

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Averil Power Senator (Seanad)

Mary Lou McDonald TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Mary Moran Senator (Seanad)

Frances Fitzgerald Minister of State (Department of Justice and Equality)

Gerry Adams TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Richard Boyd Barrett TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jerry Buttimer TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Catherine Byrne TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Dara Calleary TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Ciara Conway TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Noel J. Coonan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Clare Daly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Seán Crowe TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Heather Humphreys TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Billy Kelleher TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Enda Kenny TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Kathleen Lynch TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Gabrielle McFadden TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Sandra McLellan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michelle Mulherin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Catherine Murphy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Dara Murphy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Fergus O'Dowd TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jan O'Sullivan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Maureen O'Sullivan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Ann Phelan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

James Reilly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Robert Troy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Simon Coveney TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Hildegarde Naughton TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Kate O'Connell TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Aindrias Moynihan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Kathleen Funchion TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Louise O'Reilly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Maurice Quinlivan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Bríd Smith TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Catherine Martin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)