Engaging with Politicians in the ‘Lame Duck’ Season
Organisations seeking to influence political decisions often ask when the best time to campaign for legislative change for their issue is. Before an election, during, after, pre-Budget time, etc, etc. And the answer is always – now. There is never a time you shouldn’t be campaigning. There are, however, different levels of gears and tactics, and this political period is no different.
We are in what’s known as the ‘lame duck’ period: when we have elected new representatives, but the outgoing Government is still in office: Eamon Ryan, Catherine Martin, Heather Humphreys and Anne Rabbitte are all technically still Ministers until the new Government is sworn in. But, now that we know the make up of the 34th Dáil, it is an important time to make the case for your cause, and here are a few ideas you might consider:
Get in the Programme for Government
It doesn’t take a degree in political science to guess that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will likely form the majority of the next Government. Your first go-to documents are those two parties’ manifestos for the general election. Is your issue featured in them? If it is, that is likely down to your good work in the last number of years. But don’t take it for granted that being featured means your issue makes it into the Programme for Government. Some issues, particularly ones that aren’t front and centre in the public mind and in media coverage, may get forgotten in the government formation talks, so make sure that doesn’t happen in your case. Speak to those politicians, party researchers and other staff that you have built relationships with and use your well-established political networks to make your case.
Be patient
When campaigning for change, remember that politicians are people too, and particularly so in the ever increasingly brutal social media and public environment in which politicians operate. If you have an overly cynical attitude to politicians, believe that ‘they are all the same’, and aren’t mindful of the many competing pressures they operate under, then you might want to consider your role in your organisation’s lobbying and advocacy strategy.
All of the TDs just elected are likely exhausted. Apart from the physical strain of an election campaign, the emotional tiredness should not be underestimated. In the case of newly elected TDs - remember, they literally just got a new job, and a job that is pretty life-changing. Many of them have yet to hire staff, they don’t know how to get into their offices yet, they may not even know where their office is! So, give them a break, and time to settle into their new gig and don’t expect them to be fully operational just yet.
Send a message of congratulations: Why not take this opportunity to simply send a congratulations message? Depending on your relationship with them, or your organisation’s local strength in their constituency, you might even consider a hand-written card, with a simple ‘congratulations…we look forward to working with you...’ This will mean a lot, will be remembered, and will make it easier to get that hearing for your issue when the Oireachtas is fully up and running.
Make your lists
Tis the season for lists, so – like Santa – use this time to update your databases and lists of TDs, so that you are ready to map political representatives to your campaign activities. Update your spreadsheets by political party, constituency, possibly gender or other categories if appropriate to your campaign. You’ll be glad when your campaign gets busy in the new year, and you are scrambling for contact details. This, of course, is an ongoing task. Don’t forget to update your Ministers, opposition spokespersons and memberships of committees, but all of this will take some time – a job for early 2025.
Build your energy
You have likely been using the election campaign to highlight your issues and build relationships with candidates – and you are likely exhausted too. Take some down time and restore your energy for your lobbying and advocacy activities in the new year. Take time for team conversations on strategy. Take time to take a step back and examine where you are in your campaign, and make any strategy adjustments for the new political cycle. The best campaigns stick rigidly to their mission, but evolve as needed in strategy and tactics.
Next Steps?
So, as we look forward to a new year and a new government in 2025, remember that this is a marathon and not a sprint. Take stock, recharge - and let our politicians do the same. They’ll be ready and waiting for you in the spring, and eager to get stuck into ideas and issues that matter. Be ready for them!
Dermot Ryan is Chair of Alice, working with our clients on high-level political engagement and public affairs campaigns. If you would like to speak to Alice about your communications needs, email [email protected].