Migrant Rights Centre Ireland

Lobbying Organisation Migrant Rights Centre Ireland

Date published 19 Sep, 2024

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Justice and Equality

Period 1 May, 2024 to 31 Aug, 2024

Specific Details Family Reunion Policy

Intended results The immediate right to family reunion for all legally resident migrants in full time employment. The right to work for those spouses and dependents joining their family in Ireland.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Neil Bruton

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? Yes

What is the directive you gave to the grassroots campaigners? We held a peaceful demonstration outside the Minister for Justice office on St. Stephens Green with circa 100 members of our Family Reunion campaign in attendance. We carried out an email action where we asked people affected by family reunion rules to email their local TDs about this matter. We asked a number of large employers of people affected by family reunion rules to email the Minister in support of change in this area.

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Meeting (2-5)

Meetings held with several DPOs listed

Email (6-10)

Emails to DPOs listed to arrange meetings and to raise the matter above

Social Media (6-10)

Two facebook and two Instagram posts tagging Helen McEntee and calling on her to make change in this area One facebook, one instagram and one X post commending Helen McEntee and Peter Burke for progress made on right to work for spouses and partners of permit holders

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.

Helen McEntee Minister (Department of Justice and Equality)

Deirdre Gillane Chief of Staff (Department of the Taoiseach)

Treasa Kelly Special Advisor (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)

Niamh Allen Special Adviser (Department of the Taoiseach)

Roderic O'Gorman Minister (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)

Patrick Cluskey Special Adviser (Department of Justice)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Ivana Bacik TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Peter Burke Minister (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)