Provided by the author(s) and NUI Galway in accordance with publisher policies. Please cite the published version when available. Advocating and Setting Agendas: An Exploratory Study of Title NGO Advocacy surrounding the Reception Conditions of Asylum Seeking Children and Families in Ireland and its Influence on Agenda Setting Author(s) Kinlen, Louise Publication Date 2013-03-20 Item record http://hdl.handle.net/10379/3704 Downloaded 2021-09-25T15:37:14Z Some rights reserved. For more information, please see the item record link above. Advocating and Setting Agendas: An Exploratory Study of NGO Advocacy surrounding the Reception Conditions of Asylum Seeking Children and Families in Ireland and its Influence on Agenda Setting A thesis submitted for the Degree of PhD. to the National University of Ireland, Galway Louise Kinlen Professor Chris Curtin Supervisor School of Political Science and Sociology, National University of Ireland, Galway March 2013 i Table of Contents List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... iv List of Figures .................................................................................................................... iv List of Abbreviations and Acronyms ............................................................................... v Abstract .............................................................................................................................. vi Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... vii Chapter One: Introduction .............................................................................................. 1 1.1 Overview and context ........................................................................................ 1 1.2 Rationale and research question ........................................................................ 6 1.3 Parameters and location of the study ............................................................... 10 1.4 Theoretical underpinnings ............................................................................... 12 1.5 Approach to the research ................................................................................. 15 1.6 Limitations and challenges of the study .......................................................... 16 1.7 Structure of the thesis ...................................................................................... 17 Chapter Two: Making Policy, Setting Agendas and Advocating for Change ............ 19 2.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 19 2.2 Understanding and analysis of influencing the public policy process............. 21 2.3 Policy network approaches .............................................................................. 31 2.4 Public advocacy and interaction with public policy ....................................... 34 2.5 Specialist advocacy for children ...................................................................... 52 2.6 Specialist advocacy for refugees and asylum seekers ..................................... 53 2.7 Chapter conclusions ......................................................................................... 61 Chapter Three: Policy-making, Asylum and Reception Conditions - The Irish Context .............................................................................................................................. 63 3.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 63 3.2 Influencing social policy – the Irish context ................................................... 64 3.3 Immigration and asylum in Ireland ................................................................. 69 3.4 Children, Direct Provision and human rights .................................................. 78 3.5 Specific human rights concerns ....................................................................... 84 3.6 EU asylum policy ............................................................................................ 92 3.7 Chapter conclusions ......................................................................................... 95 Chapter Four: Research Design and Methodology ...................................................... 98 4.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 98 4.2 Research design and rationale ......................................................................... 98 4.3 Outline of research process............................................................................ 109 4.4 Sampling ........................................................................................................ 124 ii 4.5 Challenges and ethical considerations ........................................................... 127 4.6 Data analysis .................................................................................................. 128 4.7 Chapter conclusions ....................................................................................... 131 Chapter Five: NGO Advocacy Strategies .................................................................... 133 5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................... 133 5.2 How advocates raise concerns and strategies they use .................................. 134 5.3 Outsider strategies and influencing public opinion ....................................... 150 5.4 Funding environment and the role of philanthropy ....................................... 155 5.5 Chapter conclusions ....................................................................................... 156 Chapter Six: NGOs Adaptation of Strategies and Attempts at Agenda Setting ...... 158 6.1 Introduction ................................................................................................... 158 6.2 How have advocates adapted their strategies over time? .............................. 159 6.3 Key concerns and their articulation ............................................................... 172 6.4 The proposed IRP Bill ................................................................................... 182 6.5 Chapter conclusions ....................................................................................... 187 Chapter Seven: The State Response and the Intersection of Advocacy and Agenda Setting.............................................................................................................................. 190 7.1 Introduction ................................................................................................... 190 7.2 Interagency Groups: opening and closing of windows of opportunity ......... 193 7.3 Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children .................................... 198 7.4 Policy makers perceptions of policy formulation and agenda setting ........... 210 7.5 Policy Makers’ perspectives of NGO advocacy and its influence ................ 220 7.6 Chapter Conclusions ..................................................................................... 231 Chapter Eight: Advocacy and Influencing the Public Agenda - Discussion and Conclusions ..................................................................................................................... 234 8.1 Introduction ................................................................................................... 234 8.2 Adaptation of agenda setting in current study ............................................... 237 8.3 Multiple streams approach to placing concerns on public agenda ................ 244 8.4 Understanding the particular challenges of pro-asylum advocacy ................ 253 8.5 Conclusions ................................................................................................... 258 8.6 Implications for practice ................................................................................ 261 8.7 Concluding remarks ....................................................................................... 264 Appendices ...................................................................................................................... 266 Bibliography ................................................................................................................... 297 iii List of Tables Table 4.3.1 Overview of research process .................................................................... 110 Table 4.4.1 Summary of interview participants ............................................................ 124 Table 5.3.2 Outsider strategies and their purposes ....................................................... 152 List of Figures Figure 2.2.4 Adaptation of model to current study ....................................................... 28 Figure 2.4.4 Capacities for advocacy combine to create ‘windows’ ............................ 43 Figure 1.4.7 Key concepts in linking advocacy and agenda setting ............................. 51 Figure 3.3.2 Number of applications received at ORAC from 1991 to 2011 ............... 71 Figure 4.2.1 Linking elements of research strategy ...................................................... 99 Figure 4.2.3 Theoretical perspectives and concepts ................................................... 103 Figure 4.2.5 Linking of