Irish Council for Psychotherapy (Irish Council for Psychotherapy)

Lobbying Organisation Irish Council for Psychotherapy

Date published 21 Jan, 2024

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Budgetary matters

Period 1 Sep, 2023 to 31 Dec, 2023

Specific Details Mental Health Reform Members' Letter To An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar http://tinyurl.com/4y5dyz5f

Intended results Mental Health Reform (MHR) contacted ICP re: sending a letter on behalf of its members to An Taoiseach, Mr Leo Varadkar, TD. The letter called on the Government to prioritise funding for the voluntary and community mental health sector in Budget 2024. ICP was happy for MHR to add our signature to the letter, i.e., Rea Walshe, Interim Chair, Irish Council for Psychotherapy. Over 60 Leaders Call On The Taoiseach To Fund Under-Resourced Mental Health Services http://tinyurl.com/58hb938v

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Rea Walshe (Consultant – Chairing Board Meetings)

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Letter (1)

IOver 60 of MHR’s member organisations signed the letter which urges the Government to invest an additional €115m in Ireland’s mental health services including €25M for voluntary and community providers to meet the growing demand for support. MHR sent the letter to An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar; Minister Stephen Donnelly; Minister Mary Butler; Minister Paschal Donohue; Minister Michael McGrath. MHR also sent it to elected representatives and counsellors and MHR received a very positive response.

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Leo Varadkar Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)

Stephen Donnelly Minister (Department of Health)

Mary Butler Minister of State (Department of Health)

Paschal Donohoe Minister (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)

Michael McGrath Minister (Department of Finance)