Press release

Minister Foley and Minister Higgins launch €3.5 million national Disability Participation and Awareness Fund

From: Department of Children, Disability and Equality
Published on: 30 March 2026
Last updated on: 30 March 2026

The Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley and the Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, Emer Higgins have today launched the €3.5 million Disability Participation and Awareness Fund.

The fund will support people with disabilities to take part in community, sports and physical activities, arts and cultural activities, social enterprises and apprenticeships; and innovative animal-assisted approaches to inclusion and wellbeing.

The most recent round of Disability Participation and Awareness Fund grants provided funding for a variety of projects, including the opening up of canoeing clubs for people with disabilities, audio theatre workshops, disability arts festivals and a DIY wheelchair repair programme.

Charities, social enterprises and nonprofit organisations working directly with disabled people can now apply for the new round of the Disability Participation and Awareness Fund, which is managed by Rethink Ireland.

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley, said:

“I am pleased to announce the opening of the call for applications for the €3.5 million Disability Participation and Awareness Fund. People with disabilities have the right to participate fully in every aspect of life. That is why we are investing in accessible sport, inclusive arts, meaningful employment and innovative supports that will make a real difference to people’s everyday lives.”

The Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, Emer Higgins said:

“Travelling around the country as Minister of State with responsibility with for Disability I see the impact that disable people have when they are supported to participate in their communities. This is a real opportunity for organisations in all parts of the country who are working directly with, or for, disabled people."

Deirdre Mortell, CEO of Rethink Ireland, said:

“The Disability Participation and Awareness Fund is exactly the kind of work we are proud to stand behind – practical, community-led solutions that remove barriers and create real opportunities for people with disabilities. These projects are changing how communities think about inclusion, and showing what is possible.”

Over €13.5 million has been invested in 60 organisations nationwide since the Disability Participation and Awareness Fund was established by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality. This has enabled more than 5,000 disabled people to participate more fully in their communities, and over 150 people to secure paid employment or apprenticeships.

Previous awardees include: The Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin (When Forests Sing), Galway Community Circus (Circus is for Every Body), My Canine Companion, Cork (MCC School Therapy Dog Programme), and Saint John of God Community Services (DigiCoaching – Advancing Digital Accessibility).

The fund aligns with Ireland’s National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and Ireland’s Wellbeing Framework.

--ENDS--

Notes to the Editor:

Apply for the Disability Participation and Awareness Fund here. Applications are open until 23 April.

Project	When Forests Sing
Awardee	The Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin
Location	Headquarters: Dublin, Impact: Nationwide
Target Group	Musicians living with disabilities
Summary	When Forests Sing is a wordless, co‑creative opera that opens up music and performance to musicians living with disabilities. Led by composer and sound artist Karen Power, the project brings together members of the Open Youth Orchestra of Ireland and students from the Royal Irish Academy of Music to create an immersive work using assistive music technology. This technology removes physical and cultural barriers, allowing every performer to take part at the highest artistic level. The opera is inspired by nature. Field recordings gathered in Coillte forests, including a shared visit to Avondale, blend with sounds from forests across the world to form a surround‑sound landscape that guides the ensemble. Without spoken language, the piece celebrates diversity, connection and new ways of communicating. When Forests Sing re‑imagines what opera can be, giving disabled musicians equal space to create, lead and perform.
Impact Achieve to date	- 35 mixed‑ability musicians took part in 15 co‑creative sessions to develop and stage the premiere of When Forests Sing. - In December 2025, the ensemble presented the world premiere at the Samuel Beckett Theatre: a 45‑minute wordless opera featuring ensemble, soloists, choir and multimedia elements. Watch a trailer for their documentary on the process of making the performance here. - The opera highlighted inclusive creativity, expanding ideas of what musical instruments, communication and performance can be. - The performance is being archived in the National Library of Ireland through a documentary and full video recording, ensuring long‑term impact. - The team hosted a dissemination workshop to build awareness of inclusive creativity and share learning. - Through non‑financial supports, RIAM is strengthening its external communications and PR capacity for the project. - Co‑creative workshops led by Karen Power created a shared, equal space where performers shaped the work collectively, guided (not dictated) by the composed soundscape. - Musicians used forest field recordings, including sounds gathered together during a two‑day visit to Avondale, alongside recordings from forests across the world. - The project enabled performers to build a new musical language rooted in deep listening, collaboration, and connection between people and nature.

Project	DigiCoaching – Advancing Digital Accessibility
Awardee	Saint John of God Community Services (in partnership with Fighting Blindness)
Location	Headquarters: Dublin, Impact: Nationwide
Target Group	People with intellectual disabilities or sight loss
Summary	A partnership between Saint John of God Community Services and Fighting Blindness, the DigiCoach project fosters greater digital inclusion, independence, and visibility for people with disabilities in education, community and employment settings. The project recruits and trains individuals with intellectual disabilities or sight loss as paid DigiCoaches, equipping them with practical skills in digital accessibility, assistive technology, and facilitation. This initiative provides meaningful employment while building participants' confidence and digital competence. Through workshops, one-to-one coaching, and easy-to-understand resources, DigiCoaches promote digital inclusion across schools, community settings, and homes across Ireland.
Impact achieved to date	Under the Disability Participation and Awareness Fund 3.0: - Recruited and trained 15 individuals with intellectual disabilities or sight loss as paid DigiCoaches. - Delivered inclusive DigiCoaching across schools, communities, and one-to-one settings, reaching 1,005 individuals to date. This includes: -Supporting 4 schools in Dublin and Kerry, reaching 150 pupils and 5 teachers. -Delivering 8 disability service workshops reaching 200 people.

Project	Circus is for Every Body
Awardee	Galway Community Circus
Location	Headquarters: Galway, Impact: Nationwide
Summary	Circus Is for Every Body opens up circus arts to young people who are d/Deaf, neurodivergent, or have physical disabilities. Many young people with disabilities miss out on arts activities because organisations often lack the skills, confidence, or resources to support them. This project aims to change that. Galway Community Circus are working with multiple local youth groups to co-design accessible ways to learn and perform circus skills. Young people with lived experiences of disability explore movement, balance and performance in a safe, supported environment. They also learn from international experts and artists who understand how to create truly inclusive spaces. The project wraps up with a showcase performance that celebrates their creativity and talent. Representation matters. When young people can see themselves in circus arts, they can imagine new possibilities for their own futures. The project reminds us: If you can’t see it, you can’t be it.
Impact achieved to date	- The project has brought together: Galway Community Circus; UK circus company Extraordinary Bodies; young people from Enable Ireland; Galway Autism Partnership; and Scoil Chaitríona in Galway, making circus arts more accessible for d/Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent young people. - 25 young people have taken part in the project. - Over 15 circus educators and artists have been engaged, increasing sector capacity and confidence in inclusive circus practice. - 12 weekly workshops have been completed, along with a three‑day creative residency in October, facilitated by Extraordinary Bodies, a UK-based circus company that champions diversity and inclusion in the performing arts. - Young people, parents and carers report increased confidence, new skills, and a shift in beliefs about what is possible in circus participation. - In February 2026, participants took to the stage for two unforgettable public performances of ‘Take Up Space’ – a joyful, moving and empowering celebration of creativity and inclusion. - Young performers explored being centre‑stage, developed untapped talents, and worked alongside professional and community artists to create a relaxed, family‑friendly show. - An external evaluation is in progress. Early data shows positive progress towards: increasing young people’s sense of inclusion in circus arts; building practitioner confidence in disability‑inclusive methods; shifting family and public attitudes about who can take part in circus arts; strengthening partner organisations’ willingness to support ongoing engagement.

Project	MCC School Therapy Dog Programme
Awardee	My Canine Companion
Location	Headquarters: Cork, Impact: Nationwide
Target Group	Neurodivergent children
Summary	My Canine Companion (MCC) is proud to have developed Ireland’s first School Therapy Dog Programme, a pioneering initiative that has grown to include 106 therapy dogs working across national, secondary, and special schools nationwide. This programme was created in response to the growing need for accessible, non-clinical supports for students experiencing anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and school refusal – challenges that have only intensified in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The success of the programme is evident in the feedback from participating schools, which consistently report a reduction in student anxiety, fewer instances of school refusal, and a marked improvement in overall morale among both students and staff. These outcomes highlight the unique role that therapy dogs can play in fostering inclusive, emotionally supportive learning environments.

[L to R] Trina Coleman, When Forests Sing participant; Deirdre Mortell, CEO, Rethink Ireland; Deborah Kelleher, Director, Royal Irish Academy of Music; Rachel Willoughby, When Forests Sing participant; Aoife Goodison-Lawlor, student, Royal Irish Academy of Music; Minister for State with responsibility for Disability, Emer Higgins; Elaine Martin, When Forests Sing participant; and Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley at RIAM for the announcement of the Disability Participation and Awareness Fund launch.

[L to R] Minister for State with responsibility for Disability, Emer Higgins; Nataliya O’Neill, student, Royal Irish Academy of Music; and Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley at RIAM for the announcement of the Disability Participation and Awareness Fund launch.

Minister for State with responsibility for Disability, Emer Higgins; Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley; Rachel Willoughby, When Forests Sing participant; and Deirdre Mortell, CEO, Rethink Ireland pictured at RIAM for the announcement of the Disability Participation and Awareness Fund launch.

[L to R] Minister for State with responsibility for Disability, Emer Higgins; Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley; Rachel Willoughby, When Forests Sing participant; and Deirdre Mortell, CEO, Rethink Ireland pictured at RIAM for the announcement of the Disability Participation and Awareness Fund launch.

More on DPAF

The goal of Disability Participation and Awareness Fund 2026 is to create a society where individuals with disabilities can live with dignity, independence, and belonging. It seeks to dismantle barriers, promote understanding, and apply innovative approaches that reflect the evolving needs of Ireland’s disability community. The fund aligns with the principles of the National Human Rights.

Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and Ireland’s Wellbeing Framework, all of which place equality, autonomy, and participation at the centre of national policy.

The Disability Participation and Awareness Fund 4.0 Fund Core Criteria:

Strand	Criteria	National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People
Strand 1: Community, Sports, and Physical Participation	Projects that promote access and inclusion through community-based, sport, and physical activities. Initiatives should foster connection, belonging, and health outcomes for disabled people, and ideally involve participants in leadership or co-design roles.	Pillar 3: Independent Living and Active Participation in Society
Strand 2: Arts and Cultural Participation	Projects that support creative expression and visibility of disabled people in artistic and cultural life. Applicants should demonstrate how their work challenges stigma, increases public understanding, and creates opportunities for cultural participation.	Pillar 3: Independent Living and Active Participation in Society
Strand 3: Employment, Social Enterprise, and Apprenticeships	Projects that create pathways to employment or work experience for disabled people. This includes social enterprises and organisations that build inclusive workplaces, support skills development, or foster entrepreneurship among disabled people.	Pillar 2: Employment
Strand 4: Supporting innovative projects that use animal-assisted approaches to promote inclusion, connection and wellbeing	These interventions will prioritise young people experiencing disadvantage, disability, or social isolation, helping them to develop a sense of belonging and resilience through purposeful engagement.	Pillar 1: Wellbeing & Health

Minister Foley and Minister Higgins launch €3.5 million national Disability Participation and Awareness Fund

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