Overwatch Report

The Wheel

September–December

[Budgetary matters] The Wheel as a member of the Community and Voluntary Pillar met with Michael McGrath, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe to discuss priorities for Budget 2021 on the 16th of September 2020

Public Officials Lobbied

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

The Wheel

September–December

[Health] The Wheel attended the Community and voluntary Pillar Bilateral meeting with the Department of Health where health related policy was discussed on the 11th of November

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Colm Desmond', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Health)'}

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)'}

The Wheel

September–December

[Social Protection] The Wheel attended the Community and voluntary Pillar Bilateral meeting with the Department of Social Protection on the 24th of November.

Public Officials Lobbied

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

The Wheel

September–December

[Banking and Financial Institutions] The Wheel as a member of the Alliance for Insurance Reform attended a high level meeting on the 1st of December with Minister Robert Troy to discuss actions needed to bring down the cost of insurance and address the insurance crisis facing charities and community and voluntary organisations.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Robert Troy', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)'}

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)'}

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)'}

The Wheel

September–December

[Budgetary matters] On the 23rd September - we hand delivered copies of our pre-budget submission to - Minister Heather Humphries, DRCD - Minister of State Joe O Brien, DRCD - Minister Paschal Donohoe, Finance - Minister Stephen Donnelly, Health - Minister Michael McGrath, Public Expenditure and Reform

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Heather Humphreys', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Social Protection)'} {'name': "Joe O'Brien", 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Rural and Community Development)'} {'name': 'Paschal Donohoe', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Finance)'} {'name': 'Michael McGrath', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)'} {'name': 'Stephen Donnelly', 'role': 'Minister (Department of Health)'}

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 Wheel

September–December

[Community] 14th September 2020 The Wheel emailed our members asking them to contact their local TD reiterating how important it is for Budget 2021 to resources charities, community and voluntary organisations and social enterprises to continue to provide essential services and supports to communities across Ireland.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Email All TDs', 'role': 'The Wheel emailed all our members asking them to contact their TD seeking the retention of a senior minister for the community and voluntary sector in the new government, as part of our Programme For Government campaign #PutCommunityFirst. You can read our about the campaign here https://www.wheel.ie/policy-and-research/campaigns/Put-Community-First'}

The Wheel

September–December

[Budgetary matters] We contacted a number of TD's to ask for them to receive a hard copy of our budget submission and take a photo with it, which they did, between the 16th September and 6th October:

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Gary Gannon', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Jim O'Callaghan", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Neale Richmond', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Malcolm Noonan', 'role': 'Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)'} {'name': 'Paul Donnelly', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Seán Sherlock', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 1 more

The Wheel

September–December

[Education and Training] On the 14th of September and the 11th of November 2020, The Wheel attended meetings to discuss a national training and skills development strategy to support the community and voluntary sector at The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'William Beausang', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Science)'}

John Gallagher

on behalf of Yes (client not named)

September–December

[Community] Promotion of overall Policies of The Wheel in context of funding requirements related to Covid 19 and Budget

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Michael McGrath', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': "Jim O'Callaghan", 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Neale Richmond', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Pearse Doherty', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Gary Gannon', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Seán Sherlock', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 3 more

The Wheel

September–December

[Community] On the 14th of September 2020 we emailed all TDs asking them to support the priorities set our in our pre-budget 2021 submission to secure and resource the community and voluntary sector.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Email All Oireachtas Members', 'role': 'On the 14th of September 2020 we emailed all TDs and Senators asking them to support the priorities set our in our pre-budget 2021 submission, to support and resource the community and voluntary sector.'}

AONTAS

January–April

[Education and Training] Email sent to Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan following his attendance and discussion at an event hosted by The Wheel, at which Advocacy Lead Ben Hendriksen was in attendance.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Eamon Ryan', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

The Wheel

January–April

[Community] The Wheel invited all European Election candidates, including the DPO's identified below, to to sign the Community Matters campaign pledge

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Matt Carthy', 'role': 'MEP (European Parliament)'} {'name': 'Luke "Ming" Flanagan', 'role': 'MEP (European Parliament)'} {'name': 'Mairead McGuinness', 'role': 'MEP (European Parliament)'} {'name': 'Deirdre Clune', 'role': 'MEP (European Parliament)'} {'name': 'Seán Kelly', 'role': 'MEP (European Parliament)'} {'name': 'Liadh Ní Riada', 'role': 'MEP (European Parliament)'} + 14 more

The Wheel

January–April

[Community] The Wheel met members of Sinn Fein Parliamentary Party to brief them on policy required to support the community and voluntary sector

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Gerry Adams', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'John Brady', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Pat Buckley', 'role': 'TD (The Lower House of the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Seán Crowe', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'David Cullinane', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Pearse Doherty', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 21 more

The Wheel

January–April

[Community] The Wheel met with Assistant Secretary in DRCD Bairbre Nic Aongusa to discuss a the Department's possible participation in developing a measurement tool to demonstrate the added-value in services delivered by non-profit organisations

Public Officials Lobbied

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

The Wheel

January–April

[Community] The Wheel met Minister Ring to discuss the Department of Rural and Community Development's Strategy for Social Enterprise

Public Officials Lobbied

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

The Wheel

January–April

[Community] The Wheel briefed Adviser to Minister Katherin Zappone on community, voluntary and social enterprise related matters

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Donall Geoghegan', 'role': 'Adviser to Minister (Department of the Taoiseach)'}

The Wheel

January–April

[Community] The Wheel met DRCD Assistant Secretary William Parnell to discuss the Department's draft Strategy for Social Enterprise so as to ensure that the policy benefits the entire community and voluntary sector.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'William Parnell', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Rural and Community Development)'}

The Wheel

January–April

[Community] The Wheel, as a member of the Social Enterprise Task Force, attended a meeting with DRCD Assistant Secretary William Parnell to discuss the Draft Social Enterprise Policy

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'William Parnell', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Rural and Community Development)'}

The Wheel

January–April

[Community] The Wheel, as a member of the Community and Voluntary Pillar, met with William Parnell, Assistant Secretary, DRCD to discuss the emerging draft policy for Social Enterprise.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'William Parnell', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Rural and Community Development)'}

The Wheel

January–April

[Community] The Wheel hosted Eamon Ryan TD, Leader of the Green Party, at a members briefing at which matters pertaining to the future of the community and voluntary sector were discussed.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Eamon Ryan', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'}

The Wheel

January–April

[Community] The Wheel organised Information sessions and hustings for candidates in the forthcoming European Elections.

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Frances Fitzgerald', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Gary Gannon', 'role': 'Councillor (Dublin City Council)'} {'name': 'Éilis Ryan', 'role': 'Councillor (Dublin City Council)'} {'name': 'Lynn Boylan', 'role': 'MEP (European Parliament)'} {'name': 'Alice-Mary Higgins', 'role': 'Senator (Seanad)'} {'name': 'Brendan Smith', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 16 more

The Wheel

January–April

[Community] The Wheel met with the Department of Education to discuss future plans for the National Training Fund and its support for training needs of community and voluntary organisations

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'William Beausang', 'role': 'Assistant Secretary (Department of Education and Skills)'}

The Wheel

January–April

[Health] The Wheel participated in a bi-lateral meeting of the Community and Voluntary Pillar and the Department of Health at which the Department was encouraged to implement the recommendations of the Independent Review Group on the Role of Voluntary Providers

Public Officials Lobbied

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

The Wheel

January–April

[Community] The Wheel met with the Department of Rural and Community Development to discuss the needs of sector infrastructure bodies in future policy

Public Officials Lobbied

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

John Gallagher

on behalf of Yes (client not named)

January–April

[Community] To provide detailed information on the work and policies of The Wheel to politicians in the context of the next General Election

Public Officials Lobbied

{'name': 'Gerry Adams', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'John Brady', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Pat Buckley', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Seán Crowe', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'David Cullinane', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} {'name': 'Dessie Ellis', 'role': 'TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)'} + 23 more

Lobbying Tracker

Most Lobbied TDs