Overwatch Report

Chime

May–August

[Health] Development of public health programme to manage the high level of unaddressed hearing loss in Ireland and to consider the recommendations of a WHO report on ear and hearing care published in March 2021.

Public Officials Lobbied

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

Chime

May–August

[Education and Training] Educational outcomes for Deaf and Hard of Hearing children

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Josepha Madigan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Education)'}

Chime

May–August

[Health] Children's therapy waiting lists

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Duncan Smith', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Chime

September–December

[Education and Training] Educational outcomes for Deaf and Hard of Hearing children

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Josepha Madigan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Education)'}

Chime

September–December

[Health] Development of public health programme to manage the high level of unaddressed hearing loss in Ireland and to consider the recommendations of a WHO report on ear and hearing care published in March 2021.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': "Kathleen O'Meara (Former DPO)", 'role': 'Senator (The Houses of the Oireachtas Service)'} {'name': 'Martin Browne', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Colm Burke', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Paddy Burke', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Jerry Buttimer', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Jackie Cahill', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 23 more

Chime

January–April

[Health] Provision of specialist services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children within Progressing Disability Services (PDS) for children and young people.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Anne Rabbitte', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Health)'}

Chime

May–August

[Health] Provision of specialist services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children within Progressing Disability Services (PDS) for children and young people.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Anne Rabbitte', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Health)'}

Chime

September–December

[Health] Provision of specialist services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children within Progressing Disability Services (PDS) for children and young people.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Anne Rabbitte', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Health)'}

Chime

September–December

[Health] Development of public health programme to manage the high level of unaddressed hearing loss in Ireland and to consider the recommendations of a WHO report on ear and hearing care published in March 2021.

Public Officials Lobbied

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

Chime

September–December

[Justice and Equality] To raise a case where a Deaf defendant had no access to an Irish Sign Language Interpreter following arrest, or during consultations with his Free Legal Aid solicitor, or during court proceedings.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Heather Humphreys', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Justice)'}

Chime

May–August

[Health] Seeking information on the status of the Mental Health Service for Deaf people.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'John Lahart', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Mary Butler', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Health)'} {'name': 'Mark Daly', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'}

Chime

May–August

[Health] Seeking information on the publication of a report on the 'cost of hearing aids and the adequacy of financial supports' under the Welfare Act 2019.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Heather Humphreys', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Social Protection)'}

Chime

September–December

[Health] Reopening of specialist Mental Health service for Deaf people.

Public Officials Lobbied

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

Chime

January–April

[Social Protection] Treatment Benefit Scheme hearing aid grant

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'John Brady', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Chime

May–August

[Health] Treatment Benefit Hearing Aid Grant

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'John Brady', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Regina Doherty', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Chime

September–December

[Health] Seeking progress on the recommendations of the HSE Working Group report on the Residential Needs of Vulnerable Deaf Adults, whereby Deaf people who are residing in or need residential care are invariably placed in service with other hearing residents and hearing staff with little or no access to communication in Irish Sign language.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Finian McGrath', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Health)'} {'name': 'Noel Rock', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Chime

January–April

[Health] Residential care supports for vulnerable Deaf people.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Simon Harris', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Health)'}

Chime

May–August

[Health] Treatment Benefit Scheme Hearing Aid Grant

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Regina Doherty', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection)'}

Chime

May–August

[Health] To seek implementation of a HSE Working Group Report on the Residential Needs of Vulnerable Adults.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Finian McGrath', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Health)'} {'name': 'Gerry Maguire', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Health)'} {'name': "Louise O'Reilly", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Chime

September–December

[Health] Residential services for Deaf people

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Finian McGrath', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Health)'}

Chime

January–April

[Health] Residential services for vulnerable Deaf people who are sign language users.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Finian McGrath', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Health)'}

Chime

May–August

[Health] A proposal to increase the treatment benefit grant for the purchase of hearing aids.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Regina Doherty', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Social Protection)'}

Chime

September–December

[Health] Residential Services for vulnerable Deaf people who are sign language users.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Gerry Maguire', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Health)'} {'name': 'Finian McGrath', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Health)'} {'name': 'Leo Varadkar', 'role': 'Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)'}

Chime

May–August

[Health] Supported accommodation needs of vulnerable Deaf and Hard of Hearing people.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Finan McGrath', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Social Protection)'}

Chime

May–August

[Social Protection] Seek an increase in the Treatment Benefit Grant for first-time buyers of hearing aids.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Leo Varadkar', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Social Protection)'}

Chime

September–December

[Health] Specialist Mental Health and Deafness Service for Deaf adults.

Public Officials Lobbied

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

Chime

September–December

[Health] Residential services for vulnerable Deaf people who are Irish Sign language users.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Finan McGrath', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Social Protection)'}

Chime

September–December

[Health] Residential and supported accommodation services for Deaf adults

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Leo Varadkar', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Health)'} {'name': 'Kathleen Lynch', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Health)'}

Chime

September–December

[Communications] The need for a modernised text relay service to facilitate Deaf and Hard of Hearing people (and others unable to make voice calls) to have equivalent access to electronic communications in accordance with EU Directive transposed into Irish Law on 1 July 2011 by the European Communities (Electronic Communications Networks and Services) (Universal Service and User’s Rights) Regulations 2011 – S.I. No.337 of 2011.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Alex White', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources)'}

Chime

September–December

[Communications] The Sound and Vision scheme operated by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, as a publicly funded scheme funded through the TV licence fee, is not operated in accordance with the Disability Act and the access requirements therein. Specifically, no audio visual projects funded under this scheme to date has been broadcast with Irish Sign Language (ISL) presentation. This is despite the fact that the BAI claim to 'encourage' projects to include ISL presentation.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Alex White', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources)'}

Lobbying Tracker

Most Lobbied TDs