Overwatch Report

Migrant Rights Centre Ireland

September–December

[Justice and Equality] Labour Party Citizenship Bill Private Members Debate

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'David Norris', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Frances Black', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Alice-Mary Higgins', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Lorraine Clifford-Lee', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Ivana Bacik', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Martin Conway', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} + 8 more

Irish Senior Citizens Parliament

September–December

[Budgetary matters] Meeting with Minister Paschal Donohoe & Minister Michael D'Arcy on Budget 2019 issues with special emphasis on issues affecting older people

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Paschal Donohoe', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'Paschal Donohoe', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)'} {'name': "Michael D'Arcy", 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Finance)'}

Irish Senior Citizens Parliament

September–December

[Social Protection] Irish Senior Citizens Parliament with others attended a presentation and consultation on the Draft National Plan for Social Inclusion 2019-2025.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Anne Vaughan', 'role': 'Deputy Secretary (Department of Social Protection)'} {'name': 'John Conlon', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Social Protection)'}

Irish Senior Citizens Parliament

September–December

[Justice and Equality] The Irish Senior Citizens Parliament met with the Department of Justice and Equality as part of the C&V Pillar.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Carol Baxter', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Justice and Equality)'}

Irish Senior Citizens Parliament

September–December

[Health] The Irish Senior Citizens Parliament together with Members of the C& V Pillar met with officials from the Department of Health.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Siobhan O’Halloran', 'role': 'Chief Nursing Officer (Department of Health)'}

The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

September–December

[EU Affairs] Citizens' Dialogue on the Future of Europe

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Helen McEntee', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Foreign Affairs)'}

Cork Chamber

September–December

[Economic Development and Industry] Digital Cities Strategy Development

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Ann Doherty', 'role': 'Chief Executive Officer (Cork City Council)'} {'name': 'Kieran McCarthy', 'role': 'Councillor (Cork City Council)'}

Association of Leaders of Missionaries & Religious of Ireland

September–December

[Environment] Participation in the Citizens Lobby day for Climate change

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Mary Mitchell O'Connor", 'role': 'Minister (Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation)'}

Sisters of Mercy

January–April

[Trade] The lobbying concerned CETA - the Trade deal between Canada and the EU. The concern is that this is a secretive and dangerous trade deal, which if passed into Law would adversely impact on Irish Citizens in ways never imagined before. As it stands there is the possibility of corporations being le to sue the Government and foods such as hormone injected beef may flood the Irish market. All of this means that irish Agriculture, the environment and human health are put at serious risk

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Aindrias Moynihan', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Fiona O'Loughlin", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Dara Calleary', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Barry Cowen', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Billy Kelleher', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Brendan Smith', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 39 more

The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

January–April

[Justice and Equality] Safety of Citizens and their Property in Rural Ireland

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Frances Fitzgerald', 'role': 'Tánaiste and Minister (Department of Justice and Equality)'}

ActionAid Ireland

January–April

[Foreign Affairs] Responded to a query from Councillor Gary Gannon, sharing information about ActionAid's Safe Cities for Women campaign.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Gary Gannon', 'role': 'Councillor (Dublin City Council)'}

ActionAid Ireland

January–April

[Foreign Affairs] Senator Alice Mary Higgins nominated ActionAid to present the Safe Cities for Women campaign at a Council of Europe hearing on violence against women. ActionAid staff member presented the campaign. Following the meeting ActionAid staff member corresponded with the Senator to arrange a meeting between the Senator and colleagues from ActionAid Bangladesh with regard to the Safe Cities campaign.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Alice-Mary Higgins', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'}

AONTAS

January–April

[Education and Training] Minister Halligan was invited to speak, and did indeed attend the AONTAS Adult Learning Festival, European Union policy event. Minister Halligan provided welcoming remarks to the event and then stayed to listen to a presentation by David Mallows, Lecturer with the University College London. This presentation was on the importance of adult education to the social and active inclusion of citizens.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'John Halligan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation)'}

Dublin Chamber of Commerce

January–April

[Local Government] Improve the attractiveness of the Dublin City Region for all those that live, work, invest in, learn or visit the region, with a view to remaining competitive vis-a-vis Dublin's competitor cities.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Email All Local Authority Members', 'role': "The Dublin Chamber sent it's NPF submission to all members of the below listed local authorities. This submission addressed some of the issues listed above. \n\n - Dublin City Council\n - Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council\n - South Dublin County Council\n - Fingal County Council"} {'name': 'Seán Haughey', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Richard Bruton', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Tommy Broughan', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Finian McGrath', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Denise Mitchell', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 175 more

Amnesty International Ireland

January–April

[Health] Ireland's abortion laws and the government-established Citizens' Assembly

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Kate O'Connell", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Amnesty International Ireland

January–April

[Health] Sharing copy of AI's submission to Citizens' Assembly on reform of Ireland's abortion laws

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Louise O'Reilly", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Deloitte Ireland

January–April

[Local Government] Discussion on Smart Cities and sharing Deloitte Global experience and expertise

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Owen Keegan', 'role': 'CEO (Dublin City Council)'}

Irish Council for Civil Liberties

January–April

[Justice and Equality] Attendance at the Citizens Assembly

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Alice-Mary Higgins', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'}

Irish Senior Citizens Parliament

January–April

[Social Protection] Department of Social Protection organised a meeting of groups across the lifecycle to seek their advice on best way to extend the registration of the Public Service Card for all those eligible for Free Travel.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Tim Duggan', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Social Protection)'}

Irish Senior Citizens Parliament

January–April

[Health] Minister for Mental Health and Older People invited representatives of Older People to a meeting regarding the Influenza Outbreak

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Helen McEntee', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Health)'}

Irish Senior Citizens Parliament

January–April

[Social Protection] Affects of Brexit on State & Occupational Pensions and all other associated benefits for Older People

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Leo Varadkar', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Social Protection)'} {'name': "Niamh O'Donoghue", 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Social Protection)'} {'name': 'Anne Vaughan', 'role': 'Deputy Secretary (Department of Social Protection)'}

Irish Senior Citizens Parliament

January–April

[Public Expenditure and Reform] Community & Voluntary Bi-Lateral meeting with DPER officials on the Comprehensive Spending Review, National Economic Dialogue, Status of Commissioning, Implementation of Fuller Working Lives Report

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'David Moloney', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)'}

Young Women's Christian Association

May–August

[Environment] Submission to the Citizen's Assembly consultation on climate change

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Alan Kelly', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Environment, Community and Local Government)'}

The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

May–August

[Environment] Citizens Assembly - 'How the State can make Ireland a leader in tackling climate change'

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Denis Naughten', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)'} {'name': 'Suzanne Coogan', 'role': 'Special Advisor (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)'} {'name': 'Pat Deering', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Charlie McConalogue', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Willie Penrose', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Thomas Pringle', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 6 more

Irish Senior Citizens Parliament

May–August

[Housing] Community & Voluntary meeting with Dept of Housing, Planning, Communities and Local Government (Housing Section).The meeting was with others and was minuted.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Bairbre Nic Aongusa', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Environment, Community and Local Government)'}

Irish Senior Citizens Parliament

May–August

[Social Protection] Community & Voluntary Pillar Bi-Lateral Meeting with Dept of Social Protection on welfare issues affecting vulnerable people across the lifecycle

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Anne Vaughan', 'role': 'Deputy Secretary (Department of Social Protection)'} {'name': 'Kathleen Stack', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Social Protection)'}

Irish Senior Citizens Parliament

May–August

[Public Expenditure and Reform] Attended the National Economic Dialogue a forum for the exchange of ideas and policies affecting economic and social matters in Ireland. It provides an opportunity to discuss, debate and exchange views on the choices available to Government on economic, social and budgetary matters for all citizens across the economic and social sphere.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Leo Varadkar', 'role': 'Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)'} {'name': 'Paschal Donohoe', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'Paschal Donohoe', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)'}

Irish Senior Citizens Parliament

May–August

[Budgetary matters] Made a submission and attended Pre-Budget Forum organised by Minister Regina Doherty in respect of areas of welfare and social protection for Budget 2018. Also advocated for the Right of Audience for pensioners to allow them to vindicate their rights in the area of occupational pensions through the State systems. The use of the State systems to replace the High Court in such cases.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Regina Doherty', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection)'} {'name': 'Anne Vaughan', 'role': 'Deputy Secretary (Department of Social Protection)'} {'name': 'Tim Duggan', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection)'} {'name': 'John McKeon', 'role': 'Secretary General (Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection)'}

Ibec

September–December

[Banking and Financial Institutions] Implications for citizens businesses and employment of Brexit's impact on Irish British Financial service trade

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Michael D'Arcy", 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Finance)'}

Irish Senior Citizens Parliament

September–December

[Employment] Together with members of the C& V Pillar the ISCP attended a meeting with Minster Frances Fitzgerald where issues regarding employment and the barriers which now exist whereby mandatory retirement in some sectors is forcing older people to leave work against their will.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Frances Fitzgerald', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation)'} {'name': 'Declan Hughes', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation)'}

Lobbying Tracker

Most Lobbied TDs