Overwatch Report

Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

September–December

[Heritage] To discuss Deputy Murphy's Bill to prohibit hare coursing

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Paul Murphy', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

September–December

[Heritage] Calling for refusal to issue licenses for hare coursing for 2020/2021 season

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Darragh O'Brien", 'role': 'Minister (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': 'Micheál Martin', 'role': 'An Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)'} {'name': 'Charlie McConalogue', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)'}

Cheeverstown Charity

September–December

[Health] A letter was sent to 6 local representatives requesting a higher priority for people under the age of 65 with intellectual disabilities in the Covid 19 vaccination program

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mary Seery Kearney', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'John Lahart', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Paul Murphy', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Seán Crowe', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Colm Brophy', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Francis Noel Duffy', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Irish Educational Publishers' Association

September–December

[Education and Training] Informing the Deputy of the role of Irish Educational Publishing Association and its willingness to engage in policy discussion

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Donnacha O`Laoire', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Unite the Union, Ireland Region

September–December

[Transport] Need for Road Safety Authority to engage with Approved Driving Instructors; need for ADIs to have access to hygiene facilities in RSA tests centres

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Hildegarde Naughton', 'role': 'Super Junior Minister (Department of Climate Action, Communication Networks and Transport)'}

Unite the Union, Ireland Region

September–December

[Transport] Need for Road Safety Authority to engage with Approved Driving Instructors; need for Covid-19 safety protocols specific to driving instructors

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Eamon Ryan', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Climate Action, Communication Networks and Transport)'}

The Wheel

September–December

[Health] Ivan Cooper, Director of Public Policy met with Minister Stephen Donnelly on Monday the 23rd November to discuss the development agenda and matters pertaining to community and voluntary organisations in health and social services

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Stephen Donnelly', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Health)'}

Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

September–December

[Heritage] To request the hare coursing licences be suspended during level 5 lockdown

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Niall Ó Donnchú', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht)'} {'name': 'Malcolm Noonan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': 'Pippa Hackett', 'role': 'Super Junior Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)'}

Early Childhood Ireland

September–December

[Children and Youth Affairs] The impact of Covid-19 on early years and school-age care settings

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Bernie McNally', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Children and Youth Affairs)'} {'name': 'Anne-Marie Brooks', 'role': 'Acting Assistant Secretary (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)'} {'name': 'Elizabeth Canavan', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of the Taoiseach)'} {'name': "Roderic O'Gorman", 'role': 'Minister (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)'}

Nursing Homes Ireland

September–December

[Health] Engagement with Deputy Harkin to provide briefing on Fair Deal scheme key issues

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Marian Harkin', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

St Patrick's Mental Health Services

September–December

[Health] The Minister for Mental Health and Older People attended a St Patrick's Mental Health Services online event on mental health stigma and discrimination, as an invited guest and speaker. The CEO and Advocacy Manager spoke at this event about the significance of approaching stigma and discrimination from a human rights perspective.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mary Butler', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Health)'}

Early Childhood Ireland

September–December

[Children and Youth Affairs] Support for early years and school-age care settings

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Roderic O'Gorman", 'role': 'Minister (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)'} {'name': 'Bernie McNally', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Children and Youth Affairs)'} {'name': 'Kathleen Funchion', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Mary Lou McDonald', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Mary Fitzpatrick', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Leo Varadkar', 'role': 'An Tánaiste (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 2 more

Irish Deer Commission

September–December

[Heritage] Wildlife Acts - Section 29 - licensing for Deer Hunting

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Darragh O'Brien", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Darragh O'Brien", 'role': 'Minister (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'}

The Wheel

September–December

[EU Affairs] Emma Murtagh, European Programmes Manager at the Wheel, hosted Minister of State for European Affairs Thomas Byrne TD at an Online meeting on the 18 November 2020 and his participation in a 2nd online event on the 25 November 2020.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Thomas Byrne', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of the Taoiseach)'}

The Wheel

September–December

[Community] On Dec 4th 2020 Mairead O'Connor, Skills Development Senior Manager at the Wheel met with Bairbre Nic Aongusa via Webex for the purpose of updating Bairbre Nic Aongusa and other officials on progress towards the launch of recent research on training and upskilling in the nonprofit sector.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Bairbre Nic Aongusa', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Rural and Community Development)'}

Alliance of Age Sector NGOs

September–December

[Health] Meeting with the Minister to discuss the implementation of the National Positive Ageing Strategy

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Mary Butler', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Health)'}

Sage Advocacy

September–December

[Health] To discuss concerns regarding neglect of a resident of Kilbrew nursing home who is now deceased.

Public Officials Lobbied

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

The Wheel

September–December

[Community] Lauren Carroll | Programme Manager at the Wheel emailed Lord Mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu for a video thanking the sector for its hard work in 2020 on 5 November. Hazel provided said video.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Hazel Chu', 'role': 'Councillor (Dublin City Council)'}

Irish Deer Commission

September–December

[Heritage] Deer Management an essential service under Covid-19 restrictions

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Darragh O'Brien", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Darragh O'Brien", 'role': 'Minister (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': 'Charlie McConalogue', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Charlie McConalogue', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)'}

Shannon Chamber

September–December

[Transport] Letter of Thanks to Ministers for funding allocation to Shannon Airport and request to keep Aviation Policy Reform on the Government's Agenda Ahead is the task of aviation policy reform and with it an opportunity to leverage the potential for the network of airports throughout the country to play a greater role in delivering regional development.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Eamon Ryan', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Climate Action, Communication Networks and Transport)'} {'name': 'Hildegarde Naughton', 'role': 'Super Junior Minister (Department of Climate Action, Communication Networks and Transport)'} {'name': 'Michael McNamara', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

An Taisce The National Trust for Ireland

September–December

[Heritage] Access to Heritage Sites

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Malcolm Noonan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'}

The Wheel

September–December

[Community] Sarah Monaghan, Campaigns Manager at the Wheel emailed Senator Lynn Ruane for a video thanking the sector for its hard work in 2020, on the 4 December 2020. Lynn provided said video.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Lynn Ruane', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'}

The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Ireland

September–December

[Justice and Equality] Rescue of Unaccompanied Children from Lesbos Refugee Camp. A request for the Government to answer the humanitarian call for other EU countries to accept unaccompanied children, victims of the recent fire at the Lesbos Refugee Camp by accepting a group of the children to Ireland. The need for reassessment of ages of children was highlighted and asking for Ireland to provide leadership in this humanitraian tragedy.

Public Officials Lobbied

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

Irish Congress of Trade Unions

September–December

[Employment] Wage Subsidy Scheme

Public Officials Lobbied

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

Irish Congress of Trade Unions

September–December

[Employment] Wage Subsidy Scheme

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Heather Humphreys', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation)'}

Society of St. Vincent de Paul

September–December

[Budgetary matters] Engagement with Ministers and Elected Officials to ensure Budget 2021 prioritises people living in poverty and on a low income and that the measures taken are fair and equitable.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Email All Oireachtas Members', 'role': "Emailed a copy of SVP's Pre-Budget Submission to all Oireachtas members with a request to meet to discuss our recommendations on the 29th of September 2020"} {'name': 'Paschal Donohoe', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'Heather Humphreys', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht)'} {'name': 'Rónán Hession', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection)'}

Society of St. Vincent de Paul

September–December

[Children and Youth Affairs] Engagement with elected officials regarding a motion on child poverty that would seek to make poverty targets legally binding and that a child poverty unit be established to oversee the implementation of a national strategy to end child poverty

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Jennifer Whitmore', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Roderic O'Gorman", 'role': 'Minister (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)'}

Neville International

on behalf of Yes (client not named)

September–December

[Employment] Skills Shortages on Dairy Farms & Employment Permit Application Issues.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Tom Neville (Former DPO)', 'role': 'TD (Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport)'} {'name': 'Leo Varadkar', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)'} {'name': 'Philip O’Callaghan', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of the Taoiseach)'}

Irish Travel Agents Association

September–December

[Transport] Covid 19 business supports

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Email All Oireachtas Members', 'role': 'Pre-budget emails issued on behalf of Pat Dawson, CEO of ITAA, highlighting the situation Travel Agents are in as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Outbound Travel Agency Industry in jeopardy of close down. Seeking their support and calling on them to make representations to the Minister for Finance and Minister for Public Expenditure for budget support for the travel industry.'} {'name': 'Michael McNamara', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Richard O'Donoghue", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Kieran O'Donnell", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Timmy Dooley', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Maurice Quinlivan', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 29 more

Society of St. Vincent de Paul

September–December

[Budgetary matters] Engagement with Government Minister to ensure SVP's priorities and solutions regard housing, child poverty, direct provision, childcare, energy poverty and access to higher education are considered in the implementation of the Programme for Government

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Darragh O'Brien", 'role': 'Minister (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': 'Simon Harris', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Science)'} {'name': "Roderic O'Gorman", 'role': 'Minister (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)'} {'name': 'Marc Ó Cathasaigh', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Lobbying Tracker

Most Lobbied TDs