Society of St. Vincent de Paul (Society of St. Vincent de Paul)

Lobbying Organisation Society of St. Vincent de Paul

Date published 18 Sep, 2020

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Budgetary matters

Period 1 May, 2020 to 31 Aug, 2020

Specific Details Engagement with Ministers and Senior Officials to ensure sufficient supports are provided to households assisted by SVP impacted financially by the Covid-19 crisis.

Intended results That low income households and children and families living in poverty are protected from the negative financial impacts of the pandemic through adequate incomes supports and protections of households at risk of utility and rent arrears.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Tricia Keilthy

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.

Virtual Meeting (1)

Bilateral meeting between the Community and Voluntary Pillar and the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection to discuss the effectiveness of COVID related income supports and current gaps in coverage on the 20th of May

Virtual Meeting (1)

Meeting between the Department of Social Protection and the National Advisory Council on Better Outcomes Brighter Futures on the 22nd of May to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on children and the measures required to minimise the impact on children in the short term and in Budget 2021.

Letter (2-5)

Joint letter from a group of NGOs to Minister Humphries, Minister O’Brien and Minister O’Gorman to ensure sufficient income supports and homeless prevention measures are in place for parents who cannot return to work due to the unavailability of childcare. Dated 1st of July 2020.

Email (1)

Email to the Department of Social Protection asking that adequate incomes supports are in place via the Exceptional Needs Scheme to assist low income households with COVID related energy debt. Dated 26th June 2020

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.

Rónán Hession Assistant Secretary (Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection)

Jacqui McCrum Deputy Secretary (Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection)

Heather Humphreys Minister (Department of Social Protection)

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

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