Epilepsy Ireland

Lobbying Organisation Epilepsy Ireland

Date published 21 Jan, 2023

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Education and Training

Period 1 Sep, 2022 to 31 Dec, 2022

Specific Details Criteria for the deferred sitting for Leaving Cert exams

Intended results For the access criteria to be updated and for Deputies/Committee/Ministers to raise the matter with Minister/SEC

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Paddy McGeoghegan, Advocacy & Communications Manager

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? On our website & social media, we provided a template letter to our members/supporters to send to TDs and Senators if they so wished.

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (2-5)

Asking Deputies Gannon and O'Riordain to raise issues re deferred exam access relevant to people with epilepsy.

Email (1)

Writing to all members of the Oireachtas Committee on Education and seeking that they raise issues around deferred exam access relevant to people with epilepsy. Updating Deputies Lowry, Carroll MacNeill and Murnane O'Connor on our correspondence to the committee.

Email (2-5)

Trying to arrange a meeting with Minister Foley through the Minister's diary team.

Email (2-5)

Arranging meeting with SEC to arrange a meeting to discuss this issue.

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.

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Gary Gannon TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Andrea Feeney CEO (State Examinations Commission)

Paul Kehoe TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Rose Conway-Walsh TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Cathal Crowe TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Carol Nolan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

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

Pádraig O'Sullivan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Fiona O'Loughlin Senator (Seanad)

Aisling Dolan Senator (Seanad)

Eileen Flynn Senator (Seanad)

Rónán Mullen Senator (Seanad)

Pauline O'Reilly Senator (Seanad)

Norma Foley Minister (Department of Education)

Michael Lowry TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

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