Disability Federation of Ireland

Lobbying Organisation Disability Federation of Ireland

Date published 21 Sep, 2020

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Justice and Equality

Period 1 May, 2020 to 31 Aug, 2020

Specific Details Programme for Government 2020

Intended results A Programme for Government addressing key disability issues

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Allen Dunne, Joanne McCarthy, John Dolan

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

Mass communications

Email All Oireachtas Members Email sent on 06/06/20 by the Members of the ODG to all Oireachtas Members calling for expressions of interest to be part of & work with the ODG

Email All Oireachtas Members Letter sent via mass mailout on 07/05/20 to all Oireachtas Members regarding the Programme for Government & Disability Inclusion

Email All Councillors Letter sent via mass mailout on 19/06/20 to all Councillors / Local Authority Members regarding the draft Programme for Government and seeking for further key disability areas to be included in the final programme. Such as: - Appointment of a Junior Minister for Disability within the Department of An Taoiseach - Commitments to resolve the growing deficits of €40 million across disability servies - An Assistive Technology Passport - A €20 increase in the Disability Allowance pending the results of the Cost of Disability research. - Establishing a Transport Support Scheme.

Email All Oireachtas Members Letter sent via mass mailout on 12/06/20 by the members of the ODG to all Oireachtas Members regarding the rumoured funding cut to the disability sector as part of the Next Programme for Government as reported by the Irish Examiner, seeking for all TDs & Senators to commit to: - Address the pre pandemic €40 million deficit in disability services and additional losses of income due to COVID-19. - Create a pathway to residential access for people being supported by elderly families. - Put Personal Assistance Services on a statutory footing and double the current quantum of PA hours to support people to live independently in their local communities outside of nursing homes and residential care settings. Publish the Capacity Review into Disability Services and use this to address unmet need. - Provide funding to implement the UN CRPD, appoint a Junior Minister within the Department of An Taoiseach and establish a Joint Oireachtas Committee to co-ordinate implementation.

Email All Oireachtas Members Letter sent via mass mailout on 19/06/20 to all Oireachtas Members regarding the draft Programme for Government and seeking for further key disability areas to be included in the final programme. Such as: - Appointment of a Junior Minister for Disability within the Department of An Taoiseach - Commitments to resolve the growing deficits of €40 million across disability servies - An Assistive Technology Passport - A €20 increase in the Disability Allowance pending the results of the Cost of Disability research. - Establishing a Transport Support Scheme.

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Letter (1)

1 joint letter was sent via email on 05/05/20 entitled 'Sláintecare and the Programme for Government' seeking to ensure that Sláintecare implementation is part of the Programme for Government. This letter was co-signed by 30 organisations and was sent to: Leo Varadkar, Micheál Martin, Mary Lou McDonald, Eamon Ryan, Catherine Murphy, Róisín Shortall, Alan Kelly and Richard Boyd Barrett.

Letter (6-10)

7 joint letters were sent via email on 05/05/20 by the members of the ODG to all Party Leaders (Leo Varadkar, Eamon Ryan, Mary Lou McDonal, Micheál Martin, Alan Kelly, Richard Boyd Barrett, Róisín Shortall, Catherine Murphy) seeking for the Programme for Government to adopt measures outlined in the ODG manifesto, reflective of the UN CRPD commitments. 3 joint letters were sent via email on 08/06/20 by the members of the ODG to the Party Leaders of Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Green Party seeking commitment to the appointment of a Super Junior Minister for Disability within An Taoiseach's Department & the establishment of a Joint Oireachtas Committee on monitoring the implementation of the UN CRPD.

Social Media (2-5)

2 social media posts (Twitter & Facebook) were sent with a picture of the ODG letter mentioned above sent on 05/05/20 and tagging all Party Leaders. 2 social media posts (Twitter & Facebook) were sent with a picture the ODG letter mentioned above sent on 07/05/20 and tagging the Party Leaders concerned.

Meeting (2-5)

1 Meeting with Phillip O'Callaghan on 21/05/20 1 Meeting with Neasa Hourigan TD on 21/05/20 1 Meeting with Minister Josepha Madigan on 22/07/20 1 Meeting with Minister Anne Rabbitte & Minister Roderic O'Gorman on 04/08/20

Email (11-20)

3 letters sent via email to Micheal Martin (leader of Fianna Fail), Leo Varadkar (leader of Fine Gael) & Eamon Ryan (leader of the Green Party) on 26/06/20 regarding 'Procedural and infrastructural commitments in 'Our Shared Future' related to disability commitments'. 3 letters sent via email to Michael Martin (leader of Fianna Fail), Leo Varadkar (leader of Fine Gael) & Eamon Ryan (leader of the Green Party) on 02/07/20 seeking clarification on the 'project management' of UN CRPD implementation across government. 8 letters sent via email to the the newly elected Ministers welcoming the Programme for Governments commitment to disability and seeking for the Ministers to ensure their Department's Strategy Statement includes disability also.

Email (2-5)

3 emails were sent on 29/05/20 by Liz Hughes, CEO of the Charities Institute Ireland (co-signed by multiple member including DFI) to An Tánaiste Simon Coveney TD, Deputy Dara Calleary TD, Deputy Catherine Martin TD requesting: 1. A commitment from Government to commission immediate research on the impact of Covid-19 on the capacity of the sector to deliver services in the reminder of 2020 and into 2021; 2. To review the decision to exclude certain charities and voluntary bodies from the €35m Stability Fund as their activities could not be technically funded from the Dormant Accounts Fund; 3. A sustainable funding model for the sector, including multi-annual funding and full cost recovery; 4. A commitment to ensure there will be no cuts to current funding levels to the sector in 2020 and the retention of existing funding commitments into 2021; 5. In the context of Budget 2021 creating a new Fund to support those services most impacted by Covid-19.

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.

Micheál Martin An Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)

Leo Varadkar An Tánaiste (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Eamon Ryan Minister (Department of Climate Action, Communication Networks and Transport)

Roderic O'Gorman Minister (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)

Stephen Donnelly Minister (Department of Health)

Simon Harris Minister (Department of Education and Skills)

Darragh O'Brien Minister (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)

Heather Humphreys Minister (Department of Social Protection)

Norma Foley Minister (Department of Education)

Mary Lou McDonald TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Róisín Shorthall TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Alan Kelly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Richard Boyd Barrett TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Catherine Murphy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Philip O’Callaghan Special Adviser (Department of the Taoiseach)

Neasa Hourigan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Josepha Madigan Minister of State (Department of Education and Skills)

Simon Coveney TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Dara Calleary TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Catherine Martin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Leo Varadkar Minister (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)