Galway Traveller Movement

Lobbying Organisation Galway Traveller Movement

Date published 19 Jan, 2018

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Housing

Period 1 Sep, 2017 to 31 Dec, 2017

Specific Details Traveller Accommodation and homeless crisis city and county:- Homeless cases, substandard housing cases, lack of provision of culturally appropriate Traveller Accommodation in Galway City and County – Cul Tra site, Galway City , Carrowbrown Headford Road 2 sites, Galway City, Capira, County Galway, Doughiska unofficial site, Galway City Public Health Issues on the Temporary Carrowbrown site – Rat infestation and health and safety issues

Intended results Gain Traveller specific accommodation for Traveller families in Galway city and hold agencies to account for lack of provision to the Traveller Community

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Margaret O Riada, Pamela Mahony

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?) Yes

Current or Former Designated Public Official(s)

Eamon O Cuiv (Currently employed as a DPO) TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Trevor O Clochartaigh (Currently employed as a DPO) TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? Yes

What is the directive you gave to the grassroots campaigners? #Travellers Homes Now campaign

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (100+)

Emails sent to invite various officials across all sectors to the housing enquiry. Also emails to the Irish Human rights and equality commission and third level institutions.

Social Media (100+)

The use Facebook in the #tag campaign - GalwayHomesNow

Informal communication (100+)

Social workers, contacts with HSE , GRETB etc

Letter (6-10)

Correspondence with an information pack re the Accommodation Inquiry was sent by post to Minister Eoin Murphy, Minister Damien English, CEO Galway County Council, Mr Kevin Kelly, CEO Galway City Council, Mr Brendan Mc Grath on the 21st of December and to Dr Eoin Ó Sullivan, Chairperson of National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee. Letters to Kevin Kelly and Michael Owens in relation to accommodation issues.

Meeting (2-5)

13th September Meeting – Galway City Council with the City Manager , Brendan Mc Grath , Director of Services Housing, Patricia Philbin and Dermot Mahon , Senior executive officer. And Galway City Councillors re the adoption of the Traveller accommodation Mid term review.

Event / Reception (1)

Invited the West TDs to be in attendance at an Accommodation inquiry held on the 20th of November Catherine Connolly, Eamon Ó Cuiv, Seán Kyne, Noel Grealish, Hildergarde Naughton, Trevor Ó Clochartaigh. – Re Accommodation and homeless crisis Minister Eoin Murphy and Junior Minister Damien English and senior officials from the Department of the Environment were invited to the Accommodation Inquiry.

Phone call (6-10)

Accommodation and homeless crisis issues

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.

Michael Fahy Councillor (Galway County Council)

Éamon Ó Cuív TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Eileen Mannion Councillor (Galway County Council)

Michael Raftery Director of Services or Equivalent (Galway County Council)

Kevin Kelly CEO (Galway County Council)

Brendan McGrath CEO (Galway City Council)

Billy Cameron Councillor (Galway City Council)

Padraig Conneely Councillor (Galway City Council)

Ollie Crowe Councillor (Galway City Council)

Michael John Crowe Councillor (Galway City Council)

Mike Cubbard Councillor (Galway City Council)

Frank Fahy Councillor (Galway City Council)

Mairead Farrell Councillor (Galway City Council)

Pearce Flannery Councillor (Galway City Council)

Peter Keane Councillor (Galway City Council)

Noel Larkin Councillor (Galway City Council)

Donal Lyons Councillor (Galway City Council)

Anna Marley Councillor (Galway City Council)

Declan McDonnell Councillor (Galway City Council)

Niall McNelis Councillor (Galway City Council)

Cathal Ó Conchúir Councillor (Galway City Council)

Terry O'Flaherty Councillor (Galway City Council)

John Walsh Councillor (Galway City Council)

Colette Connolly Councillor (Galway City Council)

Catherine Connolly Councillor (Galway City Council)

Noel Grealish TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Seán Kyne TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Hildegarde Naughton Senator (Seanad)

Damien English Minister of State (Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government)

Eoghan Murphy TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh Senator (Seanad)