Irish Episcopal Conference

Lobbying Organisation Irish Episcopal Conference

Date published 19 Sep, 2025

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Foreign Affairs

Period 1 May, 2025 to 31 Aug, 2025

Specific Details 1) Seeking to highlight issues arising for Irish people who return to Ireland after serving a sentence in prison or detention to improve their re-settlement experience and outcomes. 2) Seeking to progress the current situation with regard to Irish people released on licence in the UK. 3) Seeking to progress the repatriation of Irish prisoners overseas who wish to return to Ireland to serve their sentence.

Intended results 1) To outline our concerns regarding Irish people imprisoned abroad and the issues they face when they return home in order to improve their experience. 2) Meeting with the Minister to outline our concerns regarding Irish people imprisoned abroad and those wishing to return home to serve their sentence or while released on licence. 3) Policy change to allow the few Irish people wishing to return to Ireland while on licence from the UK to do so.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Ms Leslie Alcock, Coordinator, Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas

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.

Meeting (1)

Attended an Interdepartmental Committee on the Irish Abroad which was convened by the DFA and chaired by Minister of State for International Development & Diaspora, Neale Richmond TD on Monday, 23 June 2025 Agenda 1. Welcome & approval of the minutes of last meeting. 2. Update on development of the next Diaspora Strategy 3. Update from Partners - a. Back for Business and b. Safehome 4. Services for Returning Emigrants a. Presentation by Bank of Ireland 5. AOB

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.

Neale Richmond Minister of State (Department of Foreign Affairs)

Neale Richmond TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)