New strategy to boost participation of people with disabilities in Culture and Sport, including Communications/media supports
- Published on: 10 December 2025
- Last updated on: 10 December 2025
The Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, and Minister of State for Sport Charlie McConalogue T.D., have today welcomed the recent publication of a new Disability Strategy to promote greater inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in culture and sporting activities, including communications and media supports.
The National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030 is designed to enable people with disabilities live an independent life and actively participate in an inclusive society.
Speaking today, Minister Patrick O’Donovan, said:
“I welcome and support the publication of the new Disability Strategy, and I am committed to the delivery of the agreed goals and actions for my Department’s Culture, Communications and Sport sectors.
“My aim is to continue to support and foster independent living for people with disabilities across Ireland, and to help them actively participate in an inclusive society across all sectors of my Department, with the support of agencies/bodies under my remit.”
Minister of State for Sport, Charlie McConalogue stated:
“I also welcome the publication of the new disability Strategy and I will ensure that agreed actions, under the new Strategy, are delivered in the Sporting Sector. This includes providing direct investment through Local Sports Partnerships and National Governing Bodies under a newly appointed designated disability lead, which has the potential to be transformational in developing and promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities in sport.”
Commitment 8 under the new Disability Strategy, relates to Participation in Social and Cultural Life. Specific actions include:
- Implementing Sport Ireland’s Disability Inclusion in Sport Statement and Commitment to Action. Having appointed Disability Sport Lead, Sport Ireland will provide directed investment through Local Sports Partnerships and National Governing Bodies.
- Encouraging the production of accessible audiovisual content by including a requirement that audiovisual projects funded by the Sound and Vision Scheme make provision for access services such as subtitling, Irish Sign Language or audio description.
- Coimisiún na Meán monitoring and enforcing compliance by broadcasters and video-on-demand providers with their obligations relating to the provision of access services - subtitling, Irish Sign Language and audio description – with an increased focus on the quality of those services.
- Engaging with Coimisiún na Meán on the provision of ISL for news content, including via the use of innovative digital solutions to deliver more ISL content for audiences that need it.
- Embedding universal design and accessibility principles across capital investment schemes, including the Sports Capital Programme.
- Addressing barriers faced by disabled people when engaging in the Night-Time Economy, arising from the findings of the Night-Time Economy Accessibility Survey.
- Providing for an increased and richer participation of disabled audiences and creators in arts and cultural events nationwide. We will work strategically with arts and cultural facilities to enhance accessibility.
- Enabling equal participation in the arts by disabled artists and arts workers, by enhancing existing supports through a new disability access policy, and improving disability-friendly working conditions.
A more detailed report on the range of existing supports provided by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport is also available (HERE)