Epilepsy Ireland

Lobbying Organisation Epilepsy Ireland

Date published 21 Jan, 2023

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Social Protection

Period 1 Sep, 2022 to 31 Dec, 2022

Specific Details Seeking support for our campaign to improve access to the Free Travel scheme for people with epilepsy.

Intended results For the matter to be raised and actioned by the Minister/Department

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Paddy McGeoghegan, Advocacy & Communications Manager

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? On our website & social media, we provided a template letter to our members/supporters to send to TDs and Senators if they so wished.

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Mass communications

Email All Oireachtas Members Providing details of our pre-budget submission and asking them to raise/pursue.

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (2-5)

Making pre-budget submission on our proposals to Minister Humphreys, Donohoe and McGrath

Informal communication (1)

Text Minister McConalogue asking him to raise the issue with his cabinet colleague Minister Humphreys

Email (1)

Emailed Cllr. Mulvey thanking him for introducing a motion to Sligo County Council on these proposals.

Email (2-5)

Emailed Deputy Kerrane asking her to raise the issue in role as SF Social Protection Spokesperson.

Email (2-5)

Emailed all members of the Oireachtas Social Protection Committee regarding our Free Travel Proposals and seeking that they take action on this.

Email (2-5)

Arranging a meeting in 2023 with Senator McGreehan to discuss this issue.

Email (2-5)

Contacting Officials in the DOSP seeking an update on their report regarding our proposals.

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.

Heather Humphreys Minister (Department of Social Protection)

Paschal Donohoe Minister (Department of Finance)

Michael McGrath Minister (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)

Charlie McConalogue Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Dara Mulvey Councillor (Sligo County Council)

Denis Naughten TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jackie Cahill TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Joe Carey TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Joan Collins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paul Donnelly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Charles Flanagan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Claire Kerrane TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Éamon Ó Cuív TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paddy Burke Senator (Seanad)

Róisín Garvey Senator (Seanad)

Paul Gavan Senator (Seanad)

Eugene Murphy Senator (Seanad)

Mark Wall Senator (Seanad)

Erin McGreehan Senator (Seanad)