Influencing policy

1
Influencing policy

• Presentation to EQUAL
• March 2004

2
What is policy?

• A course of action pursued by government
• We therefore need to address the process,
  structures, procedures, actors whereby decisions
  are taken for the allocation of money, resources,
  the public good and the regulation of society
• It is not a clear process. Many parts are hidden
  from public view

3
Who makes or influences policy?

• Government
• The Oireachtas
• Public service, administrators and regulators
• Local government
• Political parties
• Lobbyists and interests
• Social partners
• Voluntary and community organizations
• European Union
• Think tanks (ESRI, TASC)
• Media
• Different bodies that must be addressed in
  different ways
• Details of all relevant bodies in IPA Yearbook

4
Policy making a rational model?

• Problem is defined
• Information is gathered and researched
• Information is analysed
• Government may appoint committee/task force
• Options are considered A, B, C, D
• Decisions are taken (e.g. white paper, budget,
  legislation)
• Implementation systems are set in place
• After a period of time, evaluated
• Cycle is recommenced
• But is it really quite this simple?

5
Not a clear process

• Some players are hidden from view
• Some enter and exit unevenly
• Balance of forces difficult to assess
• Outcomes not always clear or decisive
• A dynamic process
• Four stages defining the issue, getting in on
  the political agenda, shaping the response,
  implementation and monitoring

6
First steps to influencing policy

• Step back from the day to day work
• Identify the policy domain
• Deciding that you want to influence policy
• Set down objectives
• Set down a system of planning, evaluating, using
  resources, mobilization, ensuring support
• Time to reflect

7
Identifying the policy domain

• Who decides, shapes policy in your area?
• e.g. ministers, parties, European Union,
  government department
• Where are the expressions of policy? (white
  paper, budget, statement in Dail) What is the
  policy? Does it work?
• Who are the current actors?
• What else is on the policy menu? What other
  solutions are on offer?
• Who are the other potential actors?

8
What is influencing policy?

• A systematic course of action for a special
  purpose
• This means that it is planned and has objectives
• Its aim is a different result, outcome, a change
  in behaviour (either new behaviour, different
  behaviour, ceased behaviour), with changed values
  or procedures.
• It could also involve different spending patterns
  or priorities, including people who were not
  included before, consulting people who were not
  consulted before.
• Raising awareness is not changing policy.

9
Planning to influence policy

• What is the problem, the difficulty, the issue?
• Why is it a problem? Why are its effects so
  serious? What costs does it impose?
• Is it a problem of policy, resources, procedures
  or what?
• What do we want done about it?
• What would be the consequences of this change?
• Who might oppose it and why?
• What are the benefits, to whom, if the problem is
  solved?
• So who do we want to do what?

10
Getting started

• Agreement on objectives
• Researching and preparing ones case
• A plan for engagement who are we planning to
  change, how and in what way?
• Setting up allies and supporters
• Contact points and organizers Who does what?
• Resources
• Ensuring a continued mandate

11
What is needed to influence policy

• Information and analysis
• Knowledge of how the system works
• Presenting ones case to people, media personably
• Writing letters
• Building links and networking
• Doing mundane activities well (e.g. annual
  reports)
• Persistence, persistence and persistence
• A belief in success
• More knowledge, determination than the other side
• Making mistakes, stopping, evaluating, humour

12
Why influencing policy is difficult

• Not knowing where to start
• Lacking information
• Keeping up to date
• Not being able to get in the resources
• Negotiating with the suits
• Making mistakes

13
Influencing policy general principles

• Set short, medium and long-term objectives
• Winning of small, early successes
• Setting down priorities, not everything at once
• Period of review
• Matching skills to people
• Conserve energies. Most take a long time.
• Make decisions about style and approach
• Creativity

14
Working with the political system

• Which part should we approach? Officials,
  ministers? Public servants (at what level?)
• Who has responsibility? Who can solve the
  problem? Who else is involved?
• Ireland has an accessible but poorly resourced
  political system.

15
Influencing the Oireachtas

• Value and importance under-rated
• A pressurized, overloaded, reactive, verbal
  system. One page only. Driven by incoming.
• Responds well to specifics.
• Several avenues questions, adjournment, debates,
  Bills, access to ministers.
• Work on a cross-party basis. Spokespersons in
  both houses. Dont forget the Senate.
• Members will offer advice.
• Meetings must be businesslike.
• Support does not follow predictable patterns.
  Some have specific interests follow the debates.
• No substitute for systematic lobbying of members.

16
Working with central, local government

• Central government well resourced, local not.
• Details in IPA yearbook. The importance of going
  in at the right level.
• Civil servants read.
• Dont forget planning units, libraries.
• Local authorities poor at documenting their work.
• Local authorities accountable through councillors
• Benefits of long-term relationships with
  councillors.

17
Influencing Europe

• Know the institutions, role, procedures
• Commission is main driver. Identifiable,
  accessible officials.
• Role of the COMDOC
• Can be effectively influenced through MEPs,
  European networks, own government.
• Also recognize role of intergroups, agencies,
  ESC, CoR
• Keeping up to date costs time, effort, money, but
  made easier by
• Europa website
• Irish information sources
• Networks
• Independent news sources and guides

18
Commissions and task forces etc

• Governments set them up for different reasons
  (unsure, to collect expertise, build consensus,
  holding actions, resolve rivalry, legitimize)
• Many forms Commissions, initiatives, review
  groups, task force, working group, expert working
  group, interdepartmental group, advisory group,
  review body, forum
• A good opportunity for access, networking
• Good opportunity to present own policy
• How do you measure and what do you do with the
  outcome?

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Role of policy documents

• To define a problem
• State the facts
• Analyse the governments response
• Criticize and sow doubt
• Take in models from elsewhere
• Look at the policy menus
• Put forward options and proposals
• Build allies and supporters
• Establish organization as a player
• Show seriousness of intent
• Talk ideas and get money
• Can be re-used with other bodies
• Only as good as ones ability to land in the
  right place, followup work

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Content of a policy submission

• Who we are and why we are doing this
• The nature of the problem (causes, extent,
  outcomes, hardship, consequences)
• What can be done, how this can be avoided
• What should be done. Who must do what.
• Benefits of solutions, costs of non-solutions.
• Legitimacy pain - vision

21
Making policy proposals effective

• Short, not repetitive, making every word count
• Avoid jargon, using plain English
• Proper layout, checking, presentation
• Decide who it is going to before you start
• Making the follow-up plan before you start
• Decide who you want to meet afterwards
• Plan follow-up letters, questions

22
Testing the impact of policy reports

• How many copies left? Best-seller?
• Are people still talking about it?
• Still debated in Oireachtas?
• Referenced by state, research bodies?
• Asked to present it to external audiences?

23
Role of research reports

• Important for an organization to know its own
  facts
• Vital if planning to convince others
• Raise debate from anecdotal to quantifiable
• Anticipate the arguments against
• Generally considered seriously by govt, media
• Only as good as targeting and follow-up

24
Making research reports effective

• Publication generally regarded as end of process.
  Many exhausted. But Who will they be sent to, who
  will be asked to do what, what should it achieve
  in a years time?
• Draw up a mailing list of
• Political community
• Administrative community
• Media
• Allies
• Research bodies, institutes, think tanks,
  libraries
• Plan for meetings, debates, discussions,
  promotion campaign.

25
Using newsletters to influence policy

• Enables organizations to define issues
• Newsletters should bring news
• Create a sense of who we are, what we are doing
  and why we are communicating it to you
• Good way of involving people, members in policy
• Newsletters should run editorials
• Supplement policy, research work

26
Mailing lists

• One of the most important tasks. Organizations
  effectiveness depends on an accurate up to date
  and well targeted mailing list.
• Essential for newsletters, research policy
  reports, annual reports
• Represent the universe you wish to reach
  (political, administrative, research, media).
  Trawl IPA.
• Check it is up to date, delete the dead, add new
  people, enquirers. Who should be added?
• Circulate among members for verification

27
Perspective of the lobbied

• The lobbied respond best to people who
• Know what they want
• Can distinguish short, medium, long term
• Are up to date and know their field
• Supply regular and reliable information
• Get in at the appropriate level, often junior
• Are brief and to the point
• Leave one page behind
• Appreciate another side to the argument
• Appreciate the limits of their lobbying