Mental Health Ireland (Mental Health Ireland)

Lobbying Organisation Mental Health Ireland

Date published 19 Sep, 2016

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Health

Period 1 May, 2016 to 31 Aug, 2016

Specific Details Mental health service users seeking to exchange information about peer support and their work through Gateway MHA for recovery and positive mental health in the community in line with developments in public policy.

Intended results To increase awareness of peer support as a model for recovery and social inclusion in the community and to enable Gateway members to discuss their needs as mental health service users directly with the new Minister in the context of advancing recovery in the community as per public policy under A Vision For Change.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Fionn Fitzpatrick, Project Co-ordinator, Gateway Mental Health Association

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.

Letter (1)

1 letter posted 9th June 2016. Letter from Gateway members inviting the new Minister to visit and meet with them to learn about their work through Gateway MHA.

Phone call (2-5)

Follow up phone calls to Minister’s Secretary for response to letter.

Informal communication (1)

Informal 5 minute face to face conversation with Minister on 6th July. Gateway Development Worker and a Gateway Management Committee member followed up with the Minister in person at a community mental health event where invitation to visit Gateway was accepted.

Email (2-5)

Follow up emails between Gateway’s Development Worker and Minister’s Secretary to arrange agreed visit.

Meeting (1)

1 meeting of 1.25 hour duration on Thursday 28th July from 2.00-3.15pm in Gateway’s drop in centre in Unit 1, 2 Parker Hill, Rathmines, Dublin 6 Single meeting with Minister to meet Gateway members (who use the mental health services), to learn about their work through Gateway MHA for positive mental health, recovery and inclusion in the community and for the Minister to hear from service users on priority improvements for the Irish mental health services.

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.

Helen McEntee Minister of State (Department of Health)