National Federation of Voluntary Service Providers Supporting People with Intellectual Disability (National Federation of Voluntary Service Providers Supporting People with Intellectual Disability)

Lobbying Organisation National Federation of Voluntary Service Providers Supporting People with Intellectual Disability

Date published 20 Sep, 2022

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Health

Period 1 May, 2022 to 31 Aug, 2022

Specific Details Calling for Pay Parity for Employees of Section 39 Organisations

Intended results Secure Pay Parity for Employees of Section 39 Organisations to ensure sustainability of frontline essential disability services to citizens served by organisations who are Section 39 providers

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Alison Harnett, Jillian Sexton, Federation S39 members

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? To contact all public representatives in their constituency to call for Pay Parity for Section 39 Organisations

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Mass communications

Letter All Oireachtas Members Letter was provided that Members then made specific to their own service challenges, calling for Pay Parity for Section 39 Organisations and highlighting the significant challenges facing the individual organisation in terms of funding / sustainability of service provision / ability to respond to new service developments and the evolving crisis in relation to inflation. Also provided some key talking points if members wished to draft their own correspondence.

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Letter (1)

Letter sent to Michael McGrath (copying Anne Rabbitte and Noel Byrne) calling for €20million in funding to breech the gap and allow Section 39 disability service providers within the National Federation, to provide pay levels relative to those offered for the same work in Section 38 and HSE services. National Federation Paper on Pay Parity was also attached.

Letter (1)

Letter sent to Roderic O'Gorman (copying Anne Rabbitte and Noel Byrne) calling for €20million in funding to breech the gap and allow Section 39 disability service providers within the National Federation, to provide pay levels relative to those offered for the same work in Section 38 and HSE services. National Federation Paper on Pay Parity was also attached.

Letter (1)

Letter sent to Stephen Donnelly (copying Anne Rabbitte and Noel Byrne) calling for €20million in funding to breech the gap and allow Section 39 disability service providers within the National Federation, to provide pay levels relative to those offered for the same work in Section 38 and HSE services. National Federation Paper on Pay Parity was also attached.

Letter (1)

Letter sent to Assistant Secretary Siobhan McArdle and a Principal Officer, Department of Health calling for €20million in funding to breech the gap and allow Section 39 disability service providers within the National Federation, to provide pay levels that are relative to those offered for the same work in Section 38 and HSE services. National Federation Paper on Pay Parity was also attached.

Email (2-5)

Email sent to Minister Anne Rabbitte with the National Federation Paper on Pay Parity attached. Follow up email sent asking for help arranging a meeting with Minister McGrath on this issue.

Email (2-5)

Email sent to Deputy Darragh O'Brien with the National Federation Paper on Pay Parity attached. Follow up email sent asking for help arranging a meeting with Minister McGrath on this issue.

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.

Anne Rabbitte Minister of State (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)

Michael McGrath Minister (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)

Stephen Donnelly Minister (Department of Health)

Noel Byrne Special Adviser (Department of Health)

Siobhán McArdle Assistant Secretary (Department of Health)

Darragh O'Brien TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)