NCBI

Lobbying Organisation NCBI

Date published 21 Sep, 2020

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Health

Period 1 May, 2020 to 31 Aug, 2020

Specific Details To discuss the need for HSE and Department of Health to run a public awareness campaign on the challenges of social distancing for vision impaired people, the challenges that have arisen for people with vision impairments as a result of Covid-19 and the financial pressure Covid-19 has placed on NCBI and the services we offer.

Intended results 1. A public awareness campaign on the challenges of social distancing for people with vision impairments. 2. Government policy to take into account the challenges that covid-19 has presented to people with vision impairments in any decision making processes. The Government to financially support disability organisations such as NCBI in light of the addition pressures covid-19 has placed on the services that we offer.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Kevin Kelly

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.

Meeting (2-5)

Meeting 1 - Paul Ledwidge, NCBI Group NCBI chairman, Prof David Keegan opthalmologist and NCBI Board member, Senator Martin Conway and NCBI board member and Chris White NCBI CEO attended. Meeting 2 - Paul Ledwidge NCBI Group chairman, Prof David Keegan opthalmologist and NCBI Board member, Senator Martin Conway and NCBI board member, Chris White NCBI CEO, Ruairi McGinley, NCBI Director of Corporate Services and Kevin Kelly, NCBI Head of Policy and Advocacy attended. Visit 1 - We had one visit by the Minister to our day activity centre in Glasnevin - the Iona Centre.

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.

Simon Harris Minister (Department of Health)