2026-04-28
0 officialsCurrent/Former DPOFAQ Politician(s) lobbied: Unknown
Intent: To inform Oireachtas members about the Bill and MER’s support for it: to encourage constructive engagement during the legislative process; to promote stronger school emergency preparedness measures, staff training, and wider access to emergency medicines; and to introduce MER as a stakeholder available to provide evidence and practical insight.
Methods: Unknown
Details by Method
Method not specified
Communication with TDs and Senators regarding the Education (Medical Emergencies in Schools) Bill 2026 published by Deputy Eoghan Kenny and its Second Stage hearing. The correspondence outlined support for improved emergency preparedness in schools
Method not specified
staff training
Method not specified
and access to emergency medicines for incidents
2026-04-02
3 officialsCurrent/Former DPOFAQ Politician(s) lobbied: Darren O'Rourke (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Aidan Farrelly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Albert Dolan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas
Intent: To inform Deputies of MER’s work and recent developments relating to emergency preparedness in schools and to contribute to the conversation on issues concerning allergies, including access to emergency medicines and training.
Methods: Email
Details by Method
Email
Follow-up email to Deputies providing an update on MER’s engagement and developments following discussion at an Oireachtas committee on allergy services.
2026-04-02
14 officialsCurrent/Former DPOFAQ Politician(s) lobbied: Pádraig Rice (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Colm Burke (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Michael Cahill (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Sorca Clarke (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; David Cullinane (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Martin Daly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Pádraig O'Sullivan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Peter Roche (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Marie Sherlock (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Manus Boyle (Senator), Seanad; Maria Byrne (Senator), Seanad; Tom Clonan (Senator), Seanad; Teresa Costello (Senator), Seanad; Nicole Ryan (Senator), Seanad
Intent: To inform members of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health of findings relating to emergency preparedness in schools, including access to emergency medicines and training, and to contribute to consideration of measures to improve responses to medical emergencies, including allergies.
Methods: SubmissionEmailMeeting
Details by Method
Submission
Findings from our MER report sent by email include:Approximately 70% of schools are not certified in training to use auto-injectors.Only seven schools are currently registered through the HPRA for auto-injector training.Most schools hold prescribed emergency medicines only for specific students.88% of schools do not have a spare emergency medicine for undiagnosed pupils.
Email
Follow-up email to members who attended the committee hearing about allergies, to highlight the work of Medical Emergency Response Ireland (MER)
Meeting
Short meeting to discuss findings from our MER report sent by email including:Approximately 70% of schools are not certified in training to use auto-injectors.Only seven schools are currently registered through the HPRA for auto-injector training.Most schools hold prescribed emergency medicines only for specific students.88% of schools do not have a spare emergency medicine for undiagnosed pupils
2026-04-02
1 officialCurrent/Former DPOFAQ Politician(s) lobbied: Michael Moynihan (Minister of State), Department of Education
Intent: To inform the Minister of MER’s work and findings relating to emergency preparedness in schools and public settings, and to contribute to consideration of measures to improve access to emergency medicines and training.
Methods: Virtual Meeting
Details by Method
Virtual Meeting
We discussed our report, which had the following findings:Approximately 70% of schools are not certified in training to use auto-injectors.Only seven schools are currently registered through the HPRA for auto-injector training.Most schools hold prescribed emergency medicines only for specific students.88% of schools do not have a spare emergency medicine for undiagnosed pupils.
2026-01-21
2 officialsCurrent/Former DPOFAQ Politician(s) lobbied: Michael Moynihan (Minister of State), Department of Education; Noel Byrne (Adviser to Minister of State), Department of Education
Intent: To raise awareness of the findings of the MER report, to inform consideration of allergy awareness and emergency preparedness in schools, and to support coordination with relevant bodies, including Safefood, in the development of guidance and information for schools.
Methods: Virtual Meeting
Details by Method
Virtual Meeting
MER met virtually with Minister of State Michael Moynihan to discuss the findings of the 2025 MER report on medical emergency preparedness in Irish schools. The discussion focused on gaps in training, access to emergency medicines, and school preparedness identified in the report. MER also outlined its engagement with Safefood following a recent Parliamentary Question, including the sharing of the report to inform updated allergy information for schools.
2026-01-07
0 officialsCurrent/Former DPOFAQ Politician(s) lobbied: Unknown
Intent: To increase awareness among public representatives and relevant Departments of the findings of MER’s national survey on medical emergency preparedness in schools, and to support informed consideration of policy approaches relating to training, emergency preparedness and access to emergency medicines within educational settings.
Methods: Unknown
Details by Method
Method not specified
Provide copy of Medical Emergency Response report showing that 88% of schools surveyed do not hold spare emergency medicines for undiagnosed pupils; and that only 7 schools nationwide are registered to hold emergency medicines under the Medicines for Listed Organisations (MLO) framework.
2026-01-07
5 officialsCurrent/Former DPOFAQ Politician(s) lobbied: Mark Duffy (Senator), Seanad; Shane Curley (Senator), Seanad; Darren O'Rourke (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Aidan Farrelly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Evanne Ní Chuilinn (Senator), Seanad
Intent: To inform individual public representatives of the findings of MER’s national survey on school emergency preparedness and to support informed discussion on public policy approaches relating to allergy awareness, training and emergency preparedness in educational and community settings.
Methods: Meeting
Details by Method
Meeting
Medical Emergency Response Ireland held individual meetings with Darren O’Rourke TD, Aidan Farrelly TD and Senator Shane Curley to discuss the findings of MER’s national report on emergency preparedness in schools, including staff training, access to emergency medicines and awareness of existing regulatory frameworks. MER met with Senator Evanne Ní Chuilinn and Senator Mark Duffy in Leinster House to discuss allergy awareness and preparedness in schools and community settings.
