Autism Spectrum Information, Advice and Meeting Point Ltd, Trading as AsIAm

Politician(s) lobbied: Rónán Hession (Assistant Secretary), Department of Social Protection; Teresa Leonard (Deputy Secretary), Department of Social Protection

Intent: To advocate the Autistic community's likelihood of experiencing poverty and their needs arising from that as the Department looks to work on the cost of disability.

Methods: EmailVirtual Meeting

Politician(s) lobbied: Emer Higgins (Minister of State), Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; Michael Moynihan (Minister of State), Department of Education; Noel Byrne (Special Adviser), Department of Health; Treasa Kelly (Special Advisor), Department of Social Protection

Intent: To secure a joint meeting of Minister's Higgins and Moynihan to discuss the proposed legislative changes to the assessment of need process announced by the Department of Children, Equality and Disability.

Methods: Email

Politician(s) lobbied: Helen McEntee (Minister), Department of Education; Michael Moynihan (Minister of State), Department of Education; Dara Calleary (Minister), Department of Social Protection; James Browne (Minister), Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Minister), Department of Health; Norma Foley (Minister), Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; Jack Chambers (Minister), Department of Finance; Paschal Donohoe (Minister), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform

Intent: To highlight AsIAm's key asks regarding budget 2026.

Methods: EmailSubmission

Politician(s) lobbied: Aideen Hartney (Director), National Disability Authority

Intent: Our Senior Policy Officer Adrian Carroll was invited by the Director of the National Disability Authority Dr. Aideen Hartney via email to speak at an online event on the 26th June held by the National Disability Authority to mark the coming into force of the European Accessibility Act. Adrian accepted their invitation and spoke at the event

Methods: Conference CallEmail

Politician(s) lobbied: Bernard Gloster (Chief Executive Officer), Health Service Executive

Intent: To understand the initiatives relating to Autistic children being undertaken by the HSE as well as to raise issues that Autistic children may face when accessing HSE services.

Methods: Virtual Meeting

Politician(s) lobbied: John Kearney (Chief Executive Officer), The National Council for Special Education

Intent: To receive an update on Special Education issues such as school places and in school therapies

Methods: EmailMeeting

Politician(s) lobbied: John Kearney (Chief Executive Officer), National Council for Special Education

Intent: To receive an update on progress regarding Autism class and special school places for the school year 2025-26 from the NCSE.

Methods: EmailVirtual Meeting

Politician(s) lobbied: Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas

Intent: To highlight the work of AsIAm's Autism Friendly Towns programme as well as discussing the National Drugs Strategy

Methods: EmailMeeting

Politician(s) lobbied: Dara Calleary (Minister), Department of Social Protection

Intent: To highlight the social welfare asks of AsIAm on behalf of the Autistic community

Methods: Event / Reception

Politician(s) lobbied: Mary Butler (Minister of State), Department of Health

Intent: To highlight the bespoke barriers to entry for Autistic people accessing CAMHS and AMHS as well as primary care mental health facilities.

Methods: EmailVirtual Meeting