Politician(s) lobbied: Darragh O'Brien (Minister), Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment; Dara Calleary (Minister), Department of Social Protection; Simon Harris (Minister), Department of Finance; Jack Chambers (Minister), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform
Intent: Urgent finalisation of Ireland's Social Climate Plan for submission to the European Commission
Methods: Letter
Details by Method
Letter
1 Letter co-signed by DFI and various other organisations sent on 29.04.26 urging Government to: - Publish a clear roadmap for the development of the Plan; - Prioritise its finalisation and submission to the EU Commission without delay; - Ensure the Plan fully aligns with requirements of the Social Climate Fund Regulation; - Ensure additional resources to existing national spending; - Ensure effective coordination across relevant Departments.
Politician(s) lobbied: Micheál Martin (An Taoiseach), Department of the Taoiseach; Micheál Carrigy (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Pat the Cope Gallagher (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Louise O'Reilly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Jerry Buttimer (Minister of State), Department of Rural and Community Development; Emer Higgins (Minister of State), Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; Eoin Ó Broin (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Thomas Gould (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Aengus Ó Snodaigh (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Jack Chambers (Minister), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform
Intent: Funding for an Emergency Winter Payment for people with disabilities
Methods: Event / ReceptionMeetingLetterInformal communication
Details by Method
Event / Reception
1 Briefing event held in the AV Room, Leinster House on 14/01/26 by DFI, the Irish Wheelchair Association and Access for All Ireland.March held with many activists and community members in Dublin on 28/02/26.
Meeting
1 Meeting held on 21/01/26 by Emer Begley, Joan Carthy (IWA), and Bernard Mulvaney (Access for All Ireland) with Minister of State Emer Higgins.1 Meeting held on 02/04/26 by Fleachta Phelan, Joan Carthy (IWA), and Bernard Mulvaney (Access for All Ireland) with Louise O'Reilly TD and her PA Freya Coogan.
Letter
5 Letters co-signed by Emer Begley, Joan Carthy (IWA) and Bernard Mulvaney (Access for All Ireland) sent on - 20/01/26 to: - Taoiseach Micheál Martin- Deputy Micheál Carrigy- Deputy Pat 'The Cope' Gallagher19/03/26 to: - Minister Jack Chambers30/04/26 to: - Minister of State Emer Higgins1 Letter forwarded by An Taoiseach's office on 21/01/26 to: - Minister of State Jerry Buttimer
Informal communication
Discussions regarding the Emergency Winter Payment for People with Disabilities held at the Sinn Fein Ard Fheis on 25/04/26 with: - Deputy Louise O'Reilly- Deputy Eoin Ó Broin - Deputy Thomas Gould - Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh- Sinead O'Reilly
Politician(s) lobbied: Helen McEntee (Minister), Department of Foreign Affairs
Intent: Funding to support the coordination of the EU Presidency
Methods: SubmissionVirtual Meeting
Details by Method
Submission
1 Funding application made to the Department of Foreign Affairs
Virtual Meeting
1 Virtual meeting held on 01/10/25 with Jane Ann Duffy (Principal Officer, DCDE)
Politician(s) lobbied: Norma Foley (Minister), Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Intent: Disability tender and research on data gaps, establishment of a PA model, and changes in legislation to include PAs in Home Care legislation
Methods: Meeting
Details by Method
Meeting
1 Home Care Coalition Meeting held with Minister Norma Foley on 18/11/25
Politician(s) lobbied: Unknown
Intent: Funding for an Emergency Winter Payment for people with disabilities
Methods: Lobby day
Details by Method
Lobby day
Demonstration held outside Leinster House on 09/12/25 calling for Government to fund an Emergency Winter Payment for people with disabilities
Politician(s) lobbied: Cathal Crowe (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Teresa Costello (Senator), Seanad; Paul McAuliffe (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Martin Daly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Seamus McGrath (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Erin McGreehan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Senator), Seanad; Anne Rabbitte (Senator), Seanad; Dee Ryan (Senator), Seanad
Intent: Funding to support key priorities for disabled people as outlined in the Oireachtas Disability Group, ODG, Pre-Budget Submission 2026
Methods: Lobby day
Details by Method
Lobby day
ODG representatives met with Fianna Fáil representatives on 24/09/25 at Leinster House to discuss the ODG's Pre-Budget Submission.
Politician(s) lobbied: Dara Calleary (Minister), Department of Social Protection; Ruairí Ó Murchú (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Thomas Gould (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Mark Wall (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas
Intent: Funding for disability measures in Budget 2026
Methods: LetterMeeting
Details by Method
Letter
1 Letter sent to Minister for Social Protection, Dara Calleary, on 14/10/25 calling for a targeted payment for disabled people in 2026.
Meeting
1 Meeting held on 11/09/25 with Mark Wall TD. 1 Roundtable held on 14/10/25 with Ruairí Ó Murchú TD and Thomas Gould TD to discuss Cost of Disability.
Politician(s) lobbied: Micheál Martin (An Taoiseach), Department of the Taoiseach; Simon Harris (Tánaiste and Minister), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Minister), Department of Health; Norma Foley (Minister), Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; Helen McEntee (Minister), Department of Education; Jack Chambers (Minister), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform; Paschal Donohoe (Minister), Department of Finance; Dara Calleary (Minister), Department of Social Protection, Community, Rural Development and the Islands; James Browne (Minister), Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; James Lawless (Minister), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Darragh O'Brien (Minister), Department of Transport; Hildegarde Naughton (Minister of State), Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; Michael Moynihan (Minister of State), Department of Education; Mary Butler (Minister of State), Department of Health; Kieran O'Donnell (Minister of State), Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; Jerry Buttimer (Minister of State), Department of Rural and Community Development; John Cummins (Minister of State), Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; Colm Ó Conaill (Assistant Secretary), Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; Gerry Tully (Head Of Operations), Health Service Executive; Aoife O'Donohue (Assistant Director General), Health Service Executive
Intent: Funding for disability measures in Budget 2026 (specific asks available at: https://www.disability-federation.ie/news/latest/2025/07/14/prebudget-submission-2026/)
Methods: EmailSubmission
Details by Method
Email
17 individual/targeted emails sent on 15/07/25 to the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, and other select Ministers.
Email
4 individual/targeted emails sent to: - Colm Ó Conaill (DCDE, Assistant Secretary - Disability Division)- Niall Brunnell (DCDE, Principal Officer - Disability Policy Unit)- Gerry Tully (HSE, Assistant National Director - Disability Services)- Aoife O'Donoghue (HSE, Head of Services for Disability)
Submission
Summary and long version of DFI's Pre-Budget Submission 2025 available at: https://www.disability-federation.ie/news/latest/2025/07/14/prebudget-submission-2026/This link was included in the above mentioned mailouts.
Politician(s) lobbied: Richard Boyd Barrett (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Hildegarde Naughton (Minister of State), Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; Micheál Carrigy (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Cathal Crowe (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Claire Kerrane (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Paula Butterly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Liam Quaide (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Teresa Costello (Senator), Seanad; Paul McAuliffe (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Ruairí Ó Murchú (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Gillian O'Toole (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Mark Wall (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas
Intent: Funding to support the key priorities for disabled people as outlined in the Oireachtas Disability Group's Pre-Budget Submission 2026 (available at: https://www.disability-federation.ie/assets/files/pdf/final_odg_pre-budget_2026_submission_1.pdf)
Methods: Virtual MeetingEmail
Details by Method
Virtual Meeting
4 virtual meetings held with various representatives to discuss the priorities for disabled people outlined in the ODG Pre-Budget Submission 2026: - 01/07/2025, delegation of ODG representatives met with Deputy Quaide. - 08/07/2025, delegation of ODG representatives met with Deputy O'Murchu. - 24/07/2025, delegation of ODG representatives met with Deputy McAuliffe. - 31/07/2025, delegation of ODG representatives met with Deputy Wall.
Email
Correspondence with Deputy Richard Boyd-Barrett's office in May to arrange a meeting to discuss a letter issued by the ODG priorities for disabled people that should be considered by the 34th Dáil.
Email
Email sent to Deputy Wall inviting the Labour Party to meet with ODG representatives again in the lead up to Budget 2026.
Email
Emails exchanged with Deputy McAuliffe and his office in July to arrange a briefing session for Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party in September.
Email
Emails exchanged with Minister Naughton and her office in May regarding sponsorship for the ODG to enter Leinster House for briefing meetings.
Email
Emails exchanged with various Oireachtas Members providing information and to arrange briefing sessions.
Politician(s) lobbied: Jack Chambers (Minister), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform
Intent: Commencement of all aspects of the recent WRC agreement in relation to Section 39 organisations and others, including addressing the concerns on gaps in the agreement and the research proposed
Methods: Meeting
Details by Method
Meeting
Meeting held between the Coalition for Public Services and Minister Jack Chambers on 30/07/2025, in relation to the WRC process and improved engagement between Government Departments and the Community and Voluntary Sector.
