Minister of State for Disabilities Anne Rabbitte announces €12.5 million funding for Digital Assistive Technology
- Published on: 26 May 2024
- Last updated on: 12 April 2025
Minister of State for Disabilities Anne Rabbitte has announced that funding of €12.5 million has been allocated to support a new agreement between the Government of Ireland and the World Health Organization (WHO).
This agreement will see Ireland become a global leader in the area of Digital Assistive Technology (DAT) in order to strengthen equitable access to assistive technology.
Assistive products have a primary purpose of maintaining or improving an individual’s functioning and independence, thereby promoting their wellbeing. Digital assistive technology is the application of organized knowledge and skills related to assistive products, including systems and services.
Announcing the funding, Minister Rabbitte stated:
“Ireland has increased its involvement in the field of assistive technology in recent years. This was not by accident. Digital Assistive Technology can be transformative for people with disabilities and this opportunity to work hand in hand with the WHO will hopefully help improve how we invest in DAT, and in turn support people with disabilities across the country.
“We are seeing a growing demand in services and a global shortage of health and social care professionals. There is a serious need to invest in the future of healthcare provision and this agreement will see Ireland further outline its commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and implement recommendations set out in the Global Report in Assistive Technology (GReAT) which was launched in 2022 by then Taoiseach Micheál Martin.”
The agreement will see Ireland fund circa €12.5 million to the WHO split over a period of five years. It will target key areas including:
- engaging in advocacy and creating awareness around assistive technology
- building on the Global Report on Assistive Technology
- contributing to the development of WHO Global Goods related to assistive technology
- stimulating innovation and investment in digital assistive technology
- implementing national, regional and global projects utilising digital assistive technology
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus welcomed the agreement stating:
"Appropriate, quality assistive technology can change lives. A pair of eyeglasses can make the difference between a child thriving or failing at school. A wheelchair can determine whether someone can travel to work or not. A hearing aid can support an older person to remain active and engaged with their families and communities. As the global population ages, the number of people who need assistive products is expected to grow to over 3.5 billion by 2050. This agreement represents a valuable contribution from Ireland enabling WHO to take action – in particular in exploring the potential of digital health as a tool to streamline and enhance access."
In line with the United Nations Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and Ireland’s “A Better World” policy, the agreement also seeks to address inequity in assistive technology provision. Access to assistive technology varies between 3% and 90% worldwide, with a major contributing factor being a country’s socioeconomic development. The activities outlined will seek to bridge this gap to impact an increasing number of people living in low income countries.
Ireland is also advancing a separate Project Collaboration Agreement (PCA) with the WHO Regional Office for Europe in tandem with the Global Lead agreement. This PCA will support the development the focused of DAT systems domestically in order to enhance three key areas in the Irish healthcare system. These are:
1. Developing and implementing workforce optimisation initiatives utilising digital and assistive products and with a focus on assessment and intervention.
2. Conducting an expert and independent capacity assessment on Ireland’s Assistive Technology programme with recommendations to strengthen and scale access to essential products and services.
3. Providing technical support to Ireland in implementing two Workforce/DAT Global Expos which will be held in the coming years.
Notes
The Global Lead agreement will last five years between 2024 and 2029.
The overall goal of this project is to strengthen equitable access to assistive technology, with a focus on innovation in people-centered, rights-based service delivery models and harnessing the potential of digital assistive technology, to strengthen the interconnected pillars of people, policy, products, provision, and personnel.
The Global Lead agreement outcomes will consist of the following national and global level outcomes.
Products
National: Digital technologies working to ensure a smarter and more efficient assistive technology sector, matching current and emerging need, supporting faster quality service provision; and industry partners mobilised in support of digital assistive technology research and development, leading to the roll out of new and increasingly cost-effective products.
Global: The second WHO Priority Assistive Products List and accompanying standards guiding Member States in procurement decisions based on best available evidence; increased information, production, and affordability of digital assistive products.
Provision
National: Replicable, scalable examples of the use of digital technology to improve service delivery including and in particular increasing service reach in rural contexts and/or amongst disadvantaged populations.
Global: Replicable, scalable examples of the use of digital technology to improve service delivery including and in particular increasing service reach in rural contexts and/or amongst disadvantaged populations.
Personnel
National: Intensive training and capacity building provided to people that can benefit from digital assistive technology, their families or care givers and frontline health and social care professionals.
Global: Increased range of digital technologies and tools supporting effective training and capacity building, in particular for service users and frontline health, education, and social care personnel.
Policy – health system reform
National: Facilitation and demonstration of system reforms in target countries that lead to better outcomes for citizens in terms of quality and timely access to health and social care supports including scaled up provision of digital and assistive technologies; with learning from this project leading to wider health system reforms, for example as envisaged under Ireland’s Sláintecare policy.
Global: National level data collection and use to inform national assistive technology strengthening and to inform the future second Global report on assistive technology, and lessons learned from this project informing policy gaps, priorities, and development.
Read the WHO News Story announcing the agreement: Ireland and WHO work together to improve access to assistive technology globally.