Center for Independent Living (Independent Living Movement Ireland (ILMI))

Lobbying Organisation Center for Independent Living

Date published 17 Jan, 2019

Relevant Matter Legislation

Public Policy Area Health

Period 1 Sep, 2018 to 31 Dec, 2018

Specific Details Independent Living Movement Ireland (ILMI) Personal Assistance Service Campaign., working towards: A universal accepted definition of the Personal Assistance Service, which places disabled people centre of any service provided and is directed by us to meet our needs to live independent lives. The PAS campaign is about ensuring the PAS needs to be separated from Home Help and Home Care with its own ring-fenced budget lobbying to introduce legislation to guarantee us the right to a Persona

Intended results Legislate: Introduce legislation to guarantee us the right to a Personal Assistance Service as per Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). Invest in the PAS to ensure disabled people live independently Standardise: Introduce a single standard assessment of need across all HSE CHO areas. This must include the provision and support for independent assessment of need as per the Disability Act 2005 and the creation of systems that allow for portability of services across CHO areas, meeting our social, personal and employment needs with no bureaucratic barriers. Define: A universal accepted definition of the Personal Assistance Service, which places us at the centre of any service provided and is directed by us to meet our needs to live independent lives. The PAS is about providing us with the necessary supports, both inside and outside of our homes to enable us to live a life of choice, dignity and respect. The Personal Assistance Service needs to be separated from Home Help and Home Care with its own ring-fenced budget. Promote: Ensure that we are all made aware of the availability of the Personal Assistance Service in order that those who wish to lead to live their lives independently can access the necessary supports to do so.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Damien Walshe

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? We developed a one page document to support disabled people to link with their elected representatives to ensure their voices were heard on the Personal Assistance Service. We also delivered training workshops on how to be part of our PAS Campaign in 8 locations around the country to empower disabled people to be part of the collective campaign

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Meeting (1)

Face to face meetings with Minister Finian McGrath (Sept 22nd), Caoimhighin O Caolain TD (4th October), Margaret Murphy O Mahony TD (16th October) Senator Colette Kelleher (7th November) to discuss the ILMI Personal Assistance Service Campaign.

Email (1)

Emails on PAS Campaign with Senators Conway & Ruane with ILMI PAS campaign one pager sent with outline of campaign and ILMI Strategic plan

Phone call (1)

Conversation on ILMI PAS Campaign with aim to meet in 2019 with Jim O Callaghan and message left with Sean Sherlock on same.

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.

Finian McGrath Minister of State (Department of Health)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Martin Conway Senator (Seanad)

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Colette Kelleher Senator (Seanad)

Seán Sherlock TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Lynn Ruane Senator (Seanad)

Jim O'Callaghan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)