Nursing Homes Ireland

Lobbying Organisation Nursing Homes Ireland

Date published 21 Sep, 2021

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Health

Period 1 May, 2021 to 31 Aug, 2021

Specific Details The Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme (TAPS) provided vital financial support to enable nursing homes implement intensified infection prevention control measures to prevent and manage Covid19. The scheme ended 30th June 2021. NHI supported grassroots campaign and Executive engaged in representations to every TD advancing necessity for continuation of the scheme, to ensure the intensified infection prevention control measures it supported could continue to be implemented.

Intended results Retention of the vital financial support provided by the Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme to support nursing homes in preventing and managing Covid19.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Tadhg Daly

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? Sought for all NHI members to contact their local TD's and Senators for the extension of TAPS funding for the Nursing Home Sector

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Mass communications

Email All Oireachtas Members An open letter to all TDs and Senators – Cessation of IPC funding supports for nursing homes

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Letter (6-10)

Letters to An Taoiseach, Minister Donnelly and Minister Butler seeking the extension of the Temporary Assistance Payment Scheme for Nursing Home providers

Letter (6-10)

Seeking assistance in proposing a request for a deferral of this decision by the Department of Health for the extension of TAPS until agreement on a longer-term resourcing and funding solution to implement all the Expert Panel recommendations is introduced.

Virtual Meeting (2-5)

Virtual Meetings with Minister Donnelly and Butler in relation to the cessation of TAPS

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.

Stephen Donnelly Minister (Department of Health)

Mary Butler Minister of State (Department of Health)

Gino Kenny TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

David Cullinane TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Alan Kelly TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Kathleen MacLellan Assistant Secretary (Department of Health)

Susan Mitchell Special Adviser (Department of Health)

Róisín Shorthall TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael McNamara TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Colm Burke TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Micheál Martin An Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)