Barnardos

Lobbying Organisation Barnardos

Date published 12 Sep, 2025

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Children and Youth Affairs

Period 1 May, 2025 to 31 Aug, 2025

Specific Details Supports for families facing disadvantage

Intended results Improve funding for voluntary sector organisations supporting families experiencing disadvantage, making sure that more vulnerable children and their parents aren't left without supports. Increase targeted income supports for low incomes families and those most at risk of deprivation Ensure government continues commitment to reduce cost of back to school for parents across the country

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Stephen Moffatt

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

Mass communications

Email All TDs Emailed all TDs with our 4th annual cost of living report highlighting the essential items children and parents are having to cut back on or go without and the impact this is having on them.

Email All TDs Emailed all TDs with our back to school report 2025, outlining existing financial pressures some parents still face when preparing to send their child back to school

Email All TDs Sent out a briefing on the lived experiences of families we support across our services who live in emergency accommodation or poor quality and overcrowded accommodation and the negative impact it has on their childhoods.

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (31-50)

Emailed TDs where their constituencies overlap with our family support service areas to inform them of the support we provide to families in their constituencies and concerns around current levels of funding for the services.

Meeting (11-20)

Held meetings in local family support services between local staff and TDs to let them see first hand the support we offer to families, the issues that they face and current problems they need help with around their children and parenting

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.

Norma Foley Minister (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)

Kevin McCarthy Secretary General (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)

Kate Duggan Chief Executive Officer (Child and Family Agency (Tusla))

Colm Brophy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Willie O'Dea TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Niall Collins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Colm Burke TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Seamus McGrath TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Robert Troy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Kevin Boxer Moran TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

John Lahart TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jack Chambers TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Peter Burke TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Micheál Carrigy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Lowry TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Catherine Ardagh TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

John Clendennen TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

John Cummins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paul McAuliffe TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)