Irish Penal Reform Trust

Lobbying Organisation Irish Penal Reform Trust

Date published 21 Jan, 2025

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Justice and Equality

Period 1 Sep, 2024 to 31 Dec, 2024

Specific Details IPRT key asks for Programme for Government

Intended results To ensure that the Programme for Government reflected IPRT's six key priority asks including prioritising non-custodial sanctions and alternatives to prison, ratifying OPCAT and establishing a National Preventive Mechanism, developing a Whole of Government Strategy for Rehabilitation and Reintegration, enhance coherency and transparency in sentencing, addressing mental health and addiction and supporting children and families impacted by imprisonment.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Saoirse Brady

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.

Email (6-10)

Sent personalised emails to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael negotiators on IPRT priority asks asking for them to be considered and reflected in the draft Programme for Government.

Event / Reception (1)

Attended a Christmas dinner event in Shelton Abbey open prison and spoke with newly elected TD Malcolm Byrne and asked him to support IPRT Programme for Government asks, in particular the progression of the Criminal Justice (Rehabilitative Periods) Bill 2018 which received cross-party support in the Seanad but has yet to be introduced and debated in the Dáil.

Email (1)

Sent follow-up email to Deputy Malcolm Byrne to outline what stage the Criminal Justice (Rehabilitative Periods) Bill 2018 was at and to support its inclusion in the Programme for Government along with IPRT priority asks.

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.

Jack Chambers TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Helen McEntee TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

James Browne TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jim O'Callaghan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Malcolm Byrne TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Barry Ward TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)