Overwatch Report

Disability Federation of Ireland

September–December

[Health] Earnings disregard for applicants for medical card

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Informal communication All Oireachtas Members', 'role': '1 press release sent to all media.'} {'name': 'Finian McGrath', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Justice and Equality)'} {'name': 'Simon Harris', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Health)'}

Disability Federation of Ireland

September–December

[Justice and Equality] Confidence and Supply Agreement

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'John Dolan (Currently employed as a DPO)', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Informal communication All Oireachtas Members', 'role': '1 press release by Senator John Dolan to all media.'} {'name': 'Leo Varadkar', 'role': 'Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)'} {'name': 'Micheál Martin', 'role': 'Taoiseach (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Dara Calleary', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Michael McGrath', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 8 more

Disability Federation of Ireland

September–December

[Justice and Equality] Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Leo Varadkar', 'role': 'Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)'} {'name': 'Charlie Flanagan', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Simon Harris', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Health)'} {'name': 'Finian McGrath', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Justice and Equality)'} {'name': 'Jim Daly', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Health)'} {'name': 'Colm Brophy', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 10 more

Disability Federation of Ireland

September–December

[Foreign Affairs] Embassy support for people with disabilities.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Tom Hanney', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Foreign Affairs)'}

Disability Federation of Ireland

September–December

[Budgetary matters] Budget 2019 Submission

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'John Dolan (Currently employed as a DPO)', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Informal communication All Oireachtas Members', 'role': '1 press statement issued to all media by Senator John Dolan to mark cross party disability Oireachtas photocall event. \n\n1 press release by Senator John Dolan to all media re: budget reactions. \n\n4 Interviews by Senator John Dolan with radio and newspaper media.'} {'name': 'Informal communication All Oireachtas Members', 'role': '1 press release by DFI to all media re: budget reactions.'}

Disability Federation of Ireland

September–December

[Justice and Equality] Oireachtas Disability Group, ODG, work. Note: ODG Membership is open to all oireachtas Members. Four disability organisations are also members: Disability Federation of Ireland, Inclusion Ireland, National Federation of Voluntary Bodies, and the Not For Profit Association. Chair = Senator John Dolan. Vicechair = Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'John Dolan (Currently employed as a DPO)', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Currently employed as a DPO)', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Email All Oireachtas Members', 'role': '1 email - Sent to all TDs and Senators invitng them to the ODG meeting.'}

Disability Federation of Ireland

September–December

[Public Expenditure and Reform] DFI supported a grassroots advocacy campaign to get public buildings lit up in purple to mark the international day of persons with disabilities.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Social Media All Councillors', 'role': "We posted/re-posted approximately 11-20 social media posts inviting people to take a photo of their own buildings and turn it purple with a photo filter to show support for getting buildings lit up in purple. We selected 'All Councillors' here as Dublin City Council and Cork County Council and City Council were identified in some but others DPOs also tagged were: Minister Finian McGrath, Caoimhghin O'Caolain TD, Joan Collins TD, Senator John Dolan, Dublin City Councillors, Mayor of Dublin Nial Ring."} {'name': 'Kevin Boxer Moran', 'role': 'Minister of State (The Office of Public Works)'} {'name': 'Finian McGrath', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Justice and Equality)'} {'name': 'Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Joan Collins', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'John Dolan', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} + 1 more

Disability Federation of Ireland

September–December

[Social Protection] National Action Plan for Social Inclusion

Public Officials Lobbied

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

Disability Federation of Ireland

September–December

[Community] Tidy Towns Competition

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Michael Ring', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Rural and Community Development)'}

Disability Federation of Ireland

September–December

[Local Government] To inform Councillors county by county of the high level disability statistics in their county with view to supporting their work.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'John Dolan (Currently employed as a DPO)', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Social Media All Councillors', 'role': '30-40 social media postings - All local authority disability profiles were posted on DFI website.'} {'name': 'Event / Reception All Councillors', 'role': 'The Senator is in the process of attending meetings of every local authority, presenting infographics on statistics relating to people with disabilities outlining the overall national situation and that relating to their own local authority / county areas. And engaging then directly with councillors as required. \n\nLocal authority meetings attended in the return period: \n• Dublin City Council \n• Clare County Council\n• Tipperary County Council \n• Louth County Council \n• Kilkenny County Council \n• Cork City & County Councils \n• Carlow County Council \n• Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council \n• Offaly County Council \n• Monaghan County Council \n• Galway County Council \n• Roscommon County Council'} {'name': 'Event / Reception All Councillors', 'role': 'Senator John Dolan attended an AILG conference and distributed an infographic with collated national statistics.'}

Disability Federation of Ireland

September–December

[Transport] Bus Connects

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'John Dolan (Currently employed as a DPO)', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Shane Ross', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport)'}

Disability Federation of Ireland

September–December

[Health] Young People in Ireland Living In Nursing Homes

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Informal communication All Oireachtas Members', 'role': ''} {'name': 'Finian McGrath', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Justice and Equality)'} {'name': 'Simon Harris', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Health)'} {'name': 'John Dolan', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Eoghan Murphy', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government)'}

Disability Federation of Ireland

September–December

[Local Government] Invitation to all newly elected Mayors, Lord Mayors, and Cathaoirligh of Local Authority areas to brief them on disability issues

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'John Dolan (Currently employed as a DPO)', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Letter All Councillors', 'role': '1 letter to all councillors - Letter of invite issued to the newly elected Mayors, Lord Mayors and Cathaoirligh to a reception in Leinster House called "the local authority - champion for disability inclusion".'} {'name': 'Event / Reception All Councillors', 'role': 'Reception for newly elected Mayors, Lord Mayors and Cathaoirligh in Leinster House called "the local authority - champion for disability inclusion".\n\nHosted in Leinster House with open door to TDs and Senators.'}

Disability Federation of Ireland

September–December

[Employment] Concerns that the Oireachtas Work and Learn (OWL) Programme would be discontinued

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'John Dolan (Currently employed as a DPO)', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Seán Ó Fearghaíl', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Disability Federation of Ireland

September–December

[Budgetary matters] The Wheel-led Budget 2019 joint press statement – DFI contributed, signed up and participated in launch event

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Informal communication All Oireachtas Members', 'role': '1 press statement - Press statement with photos issued to all the national newspapers and radio and TV current affairs programmes.'} {'name': 'Leo Varadkar', 'role': 'Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)'} {'name': 'Paschal Donohoe', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)'}

Disability Federation of Ireland

September–December

[Social Protection] Social Welfare Assessments

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Finian McGrath', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Justice and Equality)'}

Disability Federation of Ireland

September–December

[Transport] Shared the report of an Oireachtas Committee on the need for accessible public transport

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Shane Ross', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport)'} {'name': 'Robert Troy', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

Disability Federation of Ireland

September–December

[Housing] Provision of appropriate housing for people with disabilities

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Niall McNelis', 'role': 'Councillor (Galway City Council)'} {'name': 'Brendan McGrath', 'role': 'CEO (Galway City Council)'}

Disability Federation of Ireland

September–December

[Education and Training] Department of Education and Skills public consultation on its new Statement of Strategy

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Joe McHugh', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Education and Skills)'} {'name': 'John Halligan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Education and Skills)'} {'name': "Mary Mitchell O'Connor", 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Education and Skills)'}

Disability Federation of Ireland

January–April

[Justice and Equality] Submitted proposed amendments to the Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016, the UN CRPD 'Triple lock' and the lived experience of people with disabilities in Ireland.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'John Dolan (Currently employed as a DPO)', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Email All Oireachtas Members', 'role': "Submitted a comprehensive Submission on the Bill and the UN CRPD 'Triple Lock' and the lived experience of people with disabilities in Ireland to all TDs, Senators, Councillors, to the National Disability Authority and Marion Meeney of the HSE on 28th April 2017 via email."} {'name': 'Email All Councillors', 'role': "Submitted a comprehensive Submission on the Bill and the UN CRPD 'Triple Lock' and the lived experience of people with disabilities in Ireland to all TDs, Senators, Councillors, to the National Disability Authority and Marion Meeney of the HSE on 28th April 2017 via email."} {'name': 'Letter All Oireachtas Members', 'role': "Sent a comprehensive Submission on the Bill and the UN CRPD 'Triple Lock' and the lived experience of people with disabilities in Ireland to all Oireachtas Members from John Dolan CEO and Senator via post on 4th May 2017."} {'name': 'Aengus Ó Snodaigh', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Alan Farrell', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 1083 more

Disability Federation of Ireland

January–April

[Health] Request for meeting to pursue advocacy agenda following the Assistive Technology Discussion Paper launch.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'John Dolan', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'}

Disability Federation of Ireland

January–April

[Justice and Equality] Helped Senator Dolan draft a PQ on the issue of statements of stragety in the departments and disability.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'John Dolan', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'}

Disability Federation of Ireland

January–April

[Health] Sent a submission to several public officals discussing issues that should be covered during the public consultation on the right to home care.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Helen McEntee', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Health)'} {'name': 'Finian McGrath', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Health)'} {'name': 'Simon Harris', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Health)'} {'name': 'Billy Kelleher', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Mary Butler', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Louise O'Reilly", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 4 more

Disability Federation of Ireland

January–April

[Health] Follow up phone call to advisor to Minister McGrath.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Gerry Maguire', 'role': 'Special Adviser (Department of Health)'}

Disability Federation of Ireland

January–April

[Justice and Equality] Suppported press release of the Centre for Disability Law and Policy in NUIG critiquing the Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016.

Public Officials Lobbied

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

Disability Federation of Ireland

January–April

[Health] Submitted to Senator Dolan, proposed questions for the Minister for Health on the Statement of Strategy in advance of his attendance at the Oireachtas Health Committee.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'John Dolan (Currently employed as a DPO)', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'John Dolan', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Simon Harris', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Health)'}

Disability Federation of Ireland

January–April

[Budgetary matters] Article published in Frontline, the Irish Voice of Intellectual Disability online magazine, calling on better leadership from an Taoiseach on Disability matters, to implement the UN CRPD.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Enda Kenny', 'role': 'Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)'}

Disability Federation of Ireland

January–April

[Budgetary matters] Submitted to Department of Public Expenditure & Reform's Public Consultation for Mid-Term Review of the Capital Plan.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Paschal Donohoe', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)'}

Disability Federation of Ireland

January–April

[Housing] Raised the lack of appropriate housing for people with disabilities.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Damien English', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government)'}

Disability Federation of Ireland

January–April

[Development and Zoning] Submitted to the Department’s consultation on Ireland 2040 - Our Plan: The National Planning Framework, which will succeed the National Spatial Strategy 2002-2020.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Simon Coveney', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government)'}

Lobbying Tracker

Most Lobbied TDs