Making a Submission

8/9/2019 Making a Submission

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A step-by-step guide tomaking a submission

Making Your Voice Heard


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What Isa submission?A submission is a statement o your groups views, opinions orknowledge on a particular plan or policy being considered by a

state agency, government department or County Council (e.g. DnLaoghaire-Rathdown County Council). A submission is usually awritten document. It can be a letter or an email. Submissions aresometimes made using videotapes or audiotapes.


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Why make asubmission?Submissions are made to state agencies and government departmentsso that you and your group can inuence programmes, plans andstrategies that are currently running or that are planned or the uture(e.g. the Traveller Accommodation Programme).


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to say what works well

to say what is neededin the uture

to make sure we

learn rom past mistakes

to include newsuggestions and ideas

to help improve aprogramme

to have your voice or yourgroup opinions heard


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How to make

a submissionto a state agency or government departmentIt is very important to prepare and plan well so that your submission isgoing to make a real impact.There are our stages in making a submission.


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1.The Research andConsultation Stage

This is the stage when you and your group gather all the inormationconnected to the programme or policy. To do this you need to identiy andtalk with a range o people and groups connected to the programme orpolicy.

>> What are the options or possible solutions we can suggest?>> How have they addressed these issues?>> Which other communities or groups are dealing with similar issues?

>> What has the agency said or not said and done or not done up to now onthese issues?

>> What are the key issues that your group wishes to communicate to theagency?

You need to ask some important questions:

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Sample Submission Template

Contact Name: _______________________________

Name o Group: _______________________________

Address: _______________________________

Phone Number: _______________________________

Email: _______________________________

1. What is the purpose o the submission - explain who your groupis and why you are submitting these ideas and opinions.

2. What is the current situation - describe how you have arrivedat your current situation and include any legal advice, opinions,past experiences or cases you have discovered in stage one.

3. How did you prepare the submission - who was consulted,when, what was said?

4. Make a conclusion - give a brie summary o what happened inthe past, based on all the inormation you have gathered aboutthe plan or the policy

5. Make a recommendation - a recommendation is an idea thatcan be used or the uture to make the programme or policywork better.

2.The Writing StageThis is the stage where you write the ormal submission. The submissionneeds to be very clear and ocused, so that the organisation you are writing

to know who you are, how you identifed the issues and why you want tomake the submission. I possible, the submission should be typed and beprovided electronically by email attachment. Below is a sample submissiontemplate that you could use:

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Useul tips when writing a submission on request:

>> Always make sure that the agency acknowledges receipt of your groupssubmission. This receipt proves that the submission is in the system. Usuallya reference number is given which is very useful in follow-up communicationwith the authority.

>> Watch timeframes. Make sure you know the exact time (hour, day, month)when the deadline for submission is due. Many groups have been hugelydisappointed by missing a deadline by minutes!

>> Make sure the description of the situation is relevant to the highlightedquestions.

>> Thank the authority for the opportunity to make a submission.

>> Repeat the request that the agency has made in the introduction / purposeof the submission.

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Useul tips when lobbying:

>> Difcult decisions tend to be unpopular. The decision maker can often beblamed for having to make these difcult decisions and for causing somepeople to have to deal with changes that they did not want. Try to sympathisewith this dilemma for the decision-maker.

>> Questions could be asked on how the decision maker intends to balance allinterests.

>> If the strategy is to be more confrontational in discussions, perhaps becauseof frustrations with previous decisions, more preparation should go intopredicting the consequences.

>> Listen and value the other groups interests and opinions.

>> Propose ideas and ways where there is a benet for both the group and thedecision maker (person you wish to inuence).

>> Always start discussions with a positive tone.

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4.The Evaluation andFeedback Stage

This is the stage when you and your community group reect on thesubmission and the process, what you learned and how to go orward in theuture.

You need to ask some important questions:

>> What did we learn about the situation and process that will be important ina future submission?

>> Sometimes the nal outcome may not be what we hoped for. Whatalternative methods besides submissions to agencies can we use if we feel itwas not successful?

>> What can we do ourselves that we previously would have relied on othersto do?

>> What did we set out to achieve at the start?>> What didnt work well?

>> Where are we now?

>> Are we satised with the nal outcome?

>> What worked well?

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Other methods

to engage withauthorities


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There are also other methods to engage with agenciesthat could be considered depending on the situation.These methods also ollow a similar process to making asubmission.

A deputationis an organised meeting with Councillors andofcials where a number o issues raised by a community group arediscussed. Generally a deputation is made by a representation o thecommunity group, one or two people. A deputation should include:

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the history of the problem;

> the effect of the problem and

> give your solution to the problem.

A petition is a specifc proposal by a number o individualson a single issue. The petition is in writing and signed by all theindividuals. A petition is oten submitted to object to a decision orpending decision.

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I you would like more inormation about the BetterServices or Travellers Plan or Dn Laoghaire-Rathdownplease contact Rebekah Fozzard, Social Inclusion Ofcer:

[email protected] / 01-2047924.


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Making a Submission

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