Diabetes Ireland

Lobbying Organisation Diabetes Ireland

Date published 26 Apr, 2024

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Health

Period 1 Jan, 2024 to 30 Apr, 2024

Specific Details To seek sustained investment in supporting people living with diabetes and promote a more strategic approach to addressing longterm improvements making huge government cost savings, increase Oireachtas members awareness about the scale and severity of diabetes and its impact on society and to work together to seek ongoing government commitment to a long-term innovative strategic framework for managing diabetes with committed annual funding.

Intended results To work with the Cross Party Parliamentary Diabetes Committee to develop a work stream to include the development of a strategic framework to improve quality of life for people with diabetes and reduce long term costs to the health service of diabetes complications.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Kieran O'Leary, CEO, Diabetes Ireland

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? To encourage families affected by the lack of staffing in the paediatric diabetes service in Mullingar Hospital and the lack of staffing in the adult diabetes service in Letterkenny University Hospital to contact their local TDs asking them to make representation to the Minister for Health asking him to address the current staffing situations in both Mullingar Hospital and Letterkenny University Hospital.

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Mass communications

Email All Oireachtas Members Invitation sent to all TDs and Senators to attend the Cross Party Parliamentary Diabetes Committee meeting on 1 March 2024 to receive update on diabetes issues and meet with the HSE Clinical Lead for Diabetes.

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (6-10)

Asked political parties to include the need to develop a National Diabetes Strategy that will provide the vision, leadership and a forward looking plan to provide optimum care for every person living with diabetes in Ireland in their upcoming local and general election manifestos

Letter (1)

Sent a letter to Breda Smyth, CMO to highlight concerns about the safety of adults patients with diabetes attending Letterkenny University Hospital

Email (2-5)

Sent emails seeking a reply to a letter sent Breda Smyth, CMO to highlight concerns about the safety of adults patients with diabetes attending Letterkenny University Hospital

Meeting (1)

Attended a meeting with CEO of Letterkenny University Hospital and local TDs regarding consultant staffing levels for adult diabetes services in the Hospital.

Email (6-10)

Contacted all Donegal TDs seeking their support to resolve the consultant staffing level issues for adult diabetes services in Letterkenny University Hospital and inviting them to attend a meeting with the Hospital CEO.

Phone call (1)

Phone Call with Sorca Bell TD about the lack of staffing in the paediatric diabetes service in Mullingar Hospital

Email (1)

Sent a letter to Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly TD requesting him to issue a directive to put in place some emergency planning to alleviate the pressure on the healthcare professional staff currently working in diabetes services in Mullingar and Letterkenny Hospitals. Also asked for the various diabetes initiatives announced in budget 2023 to be implemented and to announce the setting up of a taskforce to develop a more cohesive long term plan for diabetes services nationally.

Email (2-5)

Contacted Gerry McMonagle seeking his support to resolve the consultant staffing level issues for adult diabetes services in Letterkenny University Hospital.

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.

Professor Breda Smyth Chief Medical Officer (Department of Health)

Stephen Donnelly Minister (Department of Health)

Cormac Devlin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Neasa Hourigan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Peadar Tóibín TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

David Cullinane TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Duncan Smith TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Sorca Clarke TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Alan Dillon TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Róisín Shorthall TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Gerry McMonagle Councillor (Donegal County Council)

Joe McHugh TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Thomas Pringle TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Charlie McConalogue TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Pearse Doherty TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Padráig Mac Lochlainn TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Colm Burke TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Gino Kenny TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Collins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Simon Harris An Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)

Maria Byrne Senator (Seanad)

Emer Higgins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)