Treoir (Federation of Services for Unmarried Parents and their Children)

Politician(s) lobbied: Louise O'Reilly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas

Intent: Increase the income disregard for One-Parent Family Payment & Jobseekers Transitional Payment in recognition that one-parent families face additional childcare costs and that employment can be a way out of poverty for families. The rate of income disregard should be index linked to reflect the minimum wage

Methods: Meeting

Politician(s) lobbied: Louise O'Reilly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas

Intent: Increase the payment to align with the primary welfare payment 45% for under 12, and 55% for over 12.

Methods: Meeting

Politician(s) lobbied: Louise O'Reilly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas

Intent: Increasing the fuel allowance to reflect the rising cost of fuel and the increase in low income households experiencing fuel poverty

Methods: Meeting

Politician(s) lobbied: Louise O'Reilly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas

Intent: Recipients of the Working Family Payment should be eligible for the Fuel Allowance

Methods: Meeting

Politician(s) lobbied: Louise O'Reilly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas

Intent: More kinship carers should be able to avail of the social welfare support payments, either by removing the 'total abandonment of the child' criteria from the Guardian's payment or introducing a kinship care specific payment.

Methods: Meeting

Politician(s) lobbied: Louise O'Reilly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas

Intent: Targeted supports for low income families

Methods: Email

Politician(s) lobbied: Chris Pender (Councillor), Kildare County Council

Intent: Sent link to KFM radio interview to all Kildare politicians and councillors. Chris Pender councillor of Social Democrats Kildare responded and circulated link to interview.

Methods: Informal communication

Politician(s) lobbied: Norma Foley (Minister), Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Intent: DCDE to continue funding KCI and for Minister Foley to be a champion of kinship care in onward discussions on alternative care, to inform Minister of the needs of kinship and the work of KCI.

Methods: Meeting

Politician(s) lobbied: Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Minister), Department of Health; Mary Butler (Minister of State), Department of Health

Intent: Introduction to Kinship Care Ireland, outline necessity for cross-departmental response to kinship care policy, key ask for outcomes and Budgets to consider: removal of means test for medical cards for children in kinship care, prioritised/access to assessments, interventions and supports for children with kinship experience (akin to priority of children in Alternative Care)

Methods: Email

Politician(s) lobbied: James Browne (Minister), Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

Intent: Introduction to Kinship Care Ireland, outline necessity for cross-departmental response to kinship care policy, 2x key asks relating to kinship being the Housing Succession Rules & Home Adaptation Grants.

Methods: Email