Crosscare (Crosscare)

Lobbying Organisation Crosscare

Date published 09 Sep, 2020

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Foreign Affairs

Period 1 May, 2020 to 31 Aug, 2020

Specific Details Supports for returning Irish emigrants during the Covid-19 crisis

Intended results 1) Clarity on whether the HSE City West facility (or any other facilities nationally) can be designated as an official location for returnees to self-isolate if they have no alternative. 2) A protocol or system for Consular Services and other support services to make referrals to such facilities in advance of returnees arriving home. 3) A system for those who require longer-term housing supports to engage with their relevant local authority while self-isolating so that there is a move-on plan in place after the 14 day period.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Mr Richard King, Project Leader, Crosscare Migrant Project

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 (1)

The letter mainly concerns Irish emigrants who are returning to Ireland due to Covid-19, and who are in difficult and sometimes vulnerable circumstances. I would like to draw your attention in particular to the requirement of returnees to self-isolate on return, and how that can be managed, especially where a person or family is returning into a situation of homelessness, in addition to some other concerns we have. Overview of the issue: The cases we have been working on to date have mostly been Irish emigrants returning with the assistance or on the advice of Irish consular services. They have in the main returned with little or no savings, no family or support networks, and with immediate welfare and accommodation needs. Regardless of their intended destination within Ireland they have all entered through Dublin, and therefore have had to be accommodated in Dublin for their period of self-isolation.

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.

Ciaran Cannon TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)