Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland

Politician(s) lobbied: Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Minister), Department of Health

Intent: Intended results:Chief HSCP Officer be a permanent role on par with CNO and CMO. Outstanding professions be added to the HSCP Professionals Act. Establish structures to enable doubling of HSCP student practice education placements given significant service pressures. Reverse the HSE Pay & Numbers Strategy. Government engage with the HSCPA to find solutions to HSCP recruitment and retention challenges, including advanced practice, enhanced career pathways and improving staffing capacity.

Methods: Meeting

Politician(s) lobbied: Norma Foley (Minister), Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Minister), Department of Health; Hildegarde Naughton (Minister of State), Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Intent: We were seeking meaningful consultation on the draft protocol as it was our view that this did not happen. We were also seeking an urgent meeting with the Minister and the HSE to discuss our concerns and identify solutions to manage clinical risk, to ensure that the protocol is implementable for our members and to ensure appropriate assessment and intervention pathways for autistic people.

Methods: Letter

Politician(s) lobbied: Unknown

Intent: Unknown

Methods: Unknown

Politician(s) lobbied: Bernard Gloster (Chief Executive Officer), Health Service Executive; Colm Henry (Chief Clinical Officer), Health Service Executive

Intent: The Work-Able Solutions project was funded under the Sláintecare Integration fund. AOTI wrote to highlight our concern that no commitment had been provided to funding of the service beyond the end of 2024. We sought ongoing funding to enable the mainstreaming of the effective service.

Methods: Email

Politician(s) lobbied: Unknown

Intent: Unknown

Methods: Unknown

Politician(s) lobbied: Mary Butler (Minister of State), Department of Health

Intent: The appointment of an Occupational Therapist to the Commission on Care for Older People

Methods: Letter

Politician(s) lobbied: Unknown

Intent: Unknown

Methods: Unknown

Politician(s) lobbied: Stephen Donnelly (Minister), Department of Health

Intent: To have the Minister for Health attend the AOTI annual conference and deliver an opening address to delegates

Methods: Letter

Politician(s) lobbied: Micheál Martin (Tánaiste and Minister), Department of Foreign Affairs

Intent: As Occupational Therapists are not currently listed as potential witnesses on Irish passport applications, we were seeking for this to be rectified and Occupational Therapists added to the list of professionals.

Methods: Letter

Politician(s) lobbied: Holly Cairns (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas

Intent: AOTI sought to discuss the report further with Deputy Cairns as well as address some specific questions regarding 'Progressing Disability Services for Children & Young People' (PDS).

Methods: Email