Politician(s) lobbied: Norma Foley (Minister), Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; Aidan Farrelly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Claire Kerrane (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Aisling Dempsey (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Grace Boland (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; John Connolly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Emer Currie (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Charles Ward (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Nikki Bradley (Senator), Seanad; Nessa Cosgrove (Senator), Seanad; Mike Kennelly (Senator), Seanad; Sharon Keogan (Senator), Seanad; Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Senator), Seanad; Keira Keogh (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Ruairí Ó Murchú (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas
Intent: We sought support from elected representatives for amendments to the Bill
Methods: EmailMeetingLetter
Details by Method
Email
Email Sent to all members of the Oireachtas Committee for Children. The submission is publish on our website www.epiconline.ie
Meeting
Met with Elected representatives and the Minister for Children to discuss our amendments.
Letter
Wrote to the Minister for Children Norma Foley to seek support for EPIC amendments
Politician(s) lobbied: Kate Duggan (Chief Executive Officer), Child and Family Agency (Tusla)
Intent: To increase the awareness of the CEO of TUSLA of the issues being seen and support by EPIC and seek her support for resources to meet needs of children and young people in care.
Methods: Meeting
Details by Method
Meeting
Met Kate Duggan to exchange information first hand on the issues that EPIC is supporting children in care and care leavers with. Also raised our ongoing waiting list and EPIC's anxiety at not being able to respond to need.
Politician(s) lobbied: Madeline Clarke (Chairperson), Child and Family Agency (Tusla)
Intent: Information exchange and highlight the policy and service priorities for EPIC.
Methods: Meeting
Details by Method
Meeting
The CEO of EPIC was invited to meet with the new Chair of Tusla. Board member John McDaid and Board Secretary Thomas Finn were also in attendance. We had a broad exchange on a range of issues focused on the services that EPIC provide.
Politician(s) lobbied: Kate Duggan (Chief Executive Officer), Child and Family Agency (Tusla)
Intent: increase in aftercare payment, review of statutory criteria for aftercare, ::input from EPIC Youth Council into policy development
Methods: Meeting
Details by Method
Meeting
EPIC Youth Engagement and Participation Coordinator and members of EPIC Youth Council met with Kate Duggan in Tusla to discuss issues related to children in care including statutory eligibility criteria for aftercare and the need to increase the aftercare payment
Politician(s) lobbied: Ray Cunningham (Councillor), Dublin City Council; Eoin Ó Broin (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas
Intent: The retention of appropriate policy on the allocation of social housing for Care Experienced Young People.
Methods: Phone call
Details by Method
Phone call
Discussed the change in policy being proposed by DCC to the allocations system as it related to care experienced young people and the monitoring of same in the medium term to ensure the best outcomes for care experienced young people.
Politician(s) lobbied: Kate Duggan (Chief Executive Officer), Child and Family Agency (Tusla)
Intent: Information Exchange
Methods: Virtual Meeting
Details by Method
Virtual Meeting
Attended an Engagement on Special Care convened by Tusla in advance of the Publication of Report of the External Review Group on Special Care
Politician(s) lobbied: Mary Hayes (Director of Services or Equivalent), Dublin City Council; Ray Cunningham (Councillor), Dublin City Council; Eoin Ó Broin (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Rory Hearne (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas
Intent: Support access for care leavers to priority allocations in Dublin City Council.
Methods: MeetingPhone callEmail
Details by Method
Meeting
Discussed changes and potential for greater targeting of allocations.
Phone call
Discussed the monitoring of changes to ensure that any unintended consequences of changes can be addressed.
Email
Emailed officials to outline our concern at the prospect of change to the allocations systems. EPIC has seen the positive impact of the allocation of social housing to care leavers has had on their lived including supporting the exit from homelessness.
Politician(s) lobbied: Kate Duggan (Chief Executive Officer), Child and Family Agency (Tusla)
Intent: To meet officials who are interested or stakeholders in the work of EPIC.
Methods: Meeting
Details by Method
Meeting
As a new CEO of EPIC I met a number of officials in an information exchange. My intention was to meet officials and Politicians who are interested in or stakeholders of the work of EPIC.
Politician(s) lobbied: Unknown
Intent: A more care aware Oireachtas. With a particular focus on issues outlined in www.epiconline.ie/news/care-day-2025
Methods: Unknown
Details by Method
Method not specified
For Care Day the EPIC Youth Council sought the support of Oireachtas Members in the New Dail to address the issues impacting care experienced children and young people.
Politician(s) lobbied: Micheál Martin (Tánaiste and Minister), Department of the Taoiseach; Marian Harkin (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Simon Harris (An Taoiseach), Department of the Taoiseach
Intent: Improved support for those in the care system to be committed to in the Programme for Government
Methods: Email
Details by Method
Email
Wrote a letter sent via email: Seeking the following to be committed to in the programme for government.Increase funding for TuslaPlan for ending the use of SEAsDeliver an all of government commitment to care-experienced youth
