New Garda Vetting Regulatory Notice

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Tusla have published a new Regulatory Notice on Garda Vetting (CSR-RN14.3) which consolidates and replaces four previous notices into a single updated document.
The notice reinforces that Garda Vetting must be completed before any individual begins working with children, outlines requirements for vetting renewals and international police clearances, and reminds providers of their responsibility to review and risk assess any vetting disclosures.
 

Growing Up in Ireland Conference marks 20 years of research informing policy for children and young people.

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The Department of Children, Disability and Equality (DCDE), today hosted the 2026 Growing Up in Ireland Research Conference, bringing together leading researchers from Ireland and abroad as the study marks its 20th anniversary.

The event showcased new research from national and international researchers, spanning infancy to age 25, highlighting how evidence from Growing Up in Ireland continues to inform policy and services for children, young people and families.

Research presented throughout the day covered themes including mental health, disability, education, family relationships, early childhood development and adolescence.

On the importance of the study, the Minister for Children, Disabilty and Equality, Norma Foley said:

“For two decades, Growing Up in Ireland has provided invaluable evidence on the lives of children, young people and families across Ireland. The study has helped deepen our understanding of the factors that support positive outcomes and has informed policy and services across a wide range of areas.

As the study enters its next phase, it continues to provide unique insights into the experiences of young people as they move into adulthood. The research to be presented at this conference demonstrates the enduring value of long-term investment in evidence and data to support better outcomes for current and future generations.”

This year’s conference is particularly significant as it marks the 20th anniversary of the Growing Up in Ireland study. Under the theme “Then, Now, Next”, a series of anniversary events are celebrating the study’s unique contribution to understanding the lives of children and young people in Ireland now and over the past two decades, while looking ahead to the study’s continued contribution to understanding childhood and youth in Ireland.

New report examines adolescent antisocial behaviour

The conference included the launch of Adolescent Antisocial Behaviour: Changes Over Time and Across the Lifecourse, a new report commissioned by DCDE and authored by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).

Planning the next phase of Growing Up in Ireland

DCDE also published Research Needs for Cohort ’08 at 20 and Cohort ’98 at 30, a new report that sets out priorities for the next adult waves of the study.

Research on resilience among vulnerable children

The conference programme also included a presentation on a recently published report on ‘Factors that Foster Resilience in Outcomes for Vulnerable Children’, commissioned by DCDE and authored by the University of Galway, this report follows young people from age 9 through adolescence to age 25.

The report leverages the rich and longitudinal data available in Growing Up in Ireland to look at individuals who could have been considered vulnerable at age 9 – in terms of their family, socio-economic or wellbeing characteristics – and used a ‘flourishing’ lens to see how they were faring by the time they were age 25. The report identifies several factors over the life-course that help all children to develop into adults who are ‘doing well’ by age 25 including participation in extra-curricular activities, better peer support, stronger support from teachers, lower levels of parent-child conflict and achieving in education.

This report is available here: https://www.growingup.gov.ie/pubs/Resilience-Report.pdf

International keynote address

This year’s keynote address was delivered by Paul Bradshaw, Director of the Scottish Centre for Social Research and lead researcher on the Growing Up in Scotland study.

His keynote lecture entitled “From aspiration to reality: tracking the transitions and outcomes of Scotland’s young people from 14 to 20”, provided an international perspective on the opportunities and challenges facing young adults and highlighted lessons from two decades of longitudinal research.

The participation of Growing Up in Scotland is particularly fitting as both studies are marking, or have recently marked, twenty years of generating evidence to inform policy and improve understanding of children’s lives.

Minister Foley announces €2 million in funding to support LGBTIQ+ people and opens the 2027 LGBTIQ+ Community Services Fund for applications

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The Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley T.D. today announced that the 2027 LGBTIQ+ Community Services Fund is now open for applications.

The 2027 LGBTIQ+ Community Services Fund will be used to support the implementation of the National LGBTIQ+ Inclusion Strategy II 2024-2028, which was published in June 2025.

Announcing the opening of the call for applications for the 2027 Fund, Minister Foley said:

“I am pleased to announce the opening of the 2027 LGBTIQ+ Community Services Fund today. This Fund is a key component in the Government’s commitment to building an Ireland where every LGBTQ+ person feels safe, supported and included.

Across the country, community organisations play an invaluable role in providing essential services, creating safe supportive spaces and promoting belonging. This funding will help organisations continue their important work, supporting community led initiatives in advancing equality, fostering inclusion and helping to ensure that every LGBTIQ+ person can live a healthy, inclusive, fulfilling life free from discrimination.”

Application details for the LGBTIQ+ Community Services Fund

There are two streams of funding under the LGBTIQ+ Community Services Fund:

– Scheme A is open to applications from existing LGBTIQ+ NGOs and community organisations working with the LGBTIQ+ community to support new initiatives and to maintain and enhance existing services and initiatives.

– Scheme B will provide small grants to organisations for projects that promote inclusion of LGBTIQ+ persons.

All applications must be submitted electronically.

Applications for funding will remain open until 16 December 2027. Interested groups can access a detailed guidance document, FAQ information and complete an online application form at the following link:

https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-children-disability-and-equality/publications/2027-lgbtiq-community-services-funding-call/

Minister Foley and Minister Higgins announce recipients of the Power to Participate: Strengthening Stakeholder Engagement Fund 2026

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The Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley, and the Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, Emer Higgins, today announced the successful recipients of the Power to Participate: Strengthening Stakeholder Engagement Fund 2026.

Established by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality the Fund is providing up to €750,000 to Disabled Persons’ Organisations (DPOs) and civil society organisations advocating for disabled people.

The funding is designed to strengthen organisations’ capacity to engage strategically with Government in the delivery of the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030.

The Fund supports a key commitment of the Strategy to establish and embed meaningful participation and stakeholder engagement across Government, ensuring that disabled people and their representative organisations have a strong voice in the development, implementation and monitoring of policies and services that affect their lives.

Congratulating the successful recipients, Minister Foley said:

“I am pleased to announce up to €750,000 from the Power to Participate Fund to help support organisations that work every day to represent the voices and experiences of disabled people across Ireland and thereby shaping the policies and services that affect their lives. I want to thank all Disabled Persons’ Organisations and civil society organisations advocating for disabled people and I look forward to continuing to work with them on progressing the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People.”

Also commending the organisations involved Minister Higgins said:

“The National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People commits us to building a stronger and more inclusive framework for engagement with disabled people and their representative organisations. The Fund supports organisations to enhance their capacity, strengthen advocacy and engagement, and contribute to the delivery of the Strategy’s ambitions over the coming years. I congratulate all of the successful applicants and look forward to seeing the impact of their work.”

By supporting greater participation and engagement by a wide range of organisations, the fund will help advance Ireland’s implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and strengthen the direct involvement of disabled people in decisions affecting their lives. The range of groups being funded include local grassroots organisations, as well as organisations with nationwide reach, cross-impairment groups, and groups that focus on advancing the rights of people with intellectual disabilities, disabled women, autistic people, and the deaf community.

Strand A: Supporting Advocacy
Organisation Amount Location
Sligo
Disabled Persons’ Organisation (DPO)		 €7,350 Sligo
DADA
(Disabled Artists, Disabled Academics)		 €7,500 Nationwide
Disability
Power Ireland		 €7,500 Nationwide
Strand B: Capacity Strengthening
Organisation Amount Location
Disability
Federation of Ireland		 €70,000 Nationwide
Neurodiversity
Ireland		 €79,000 Nationwide
Disabled
Women Ireland		 €96,523 Nationwide
The National
Platform of Self Advocates CLG		 €122,900 Nationwide
Independent
Living Movement Ireland		 €81,100 Nationwide
AsIAm €67,500 Nationwide
Inclusion
Ireland		 €61,000 Nationwide
Irish Deaf
Society		 €74,621 Nationwide
Strand C: Outreach and Collaboration
Organisation Amount Location
Independent
Living Movement Ireland and Donegal DPO		 €3,670 Donegal
Independent
Living Movement Ireland and Mayo DPO		 €4,300 Mayo
Independent
Living Movement Ireland and Sligo DPO		 €9,875 Sligo
Independent
Living Movement Ireland and Tipperary DPO		 €6,550 Tipperary

Minister Foley and Minister Higgins announce €9.5m investment in major disability projects

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Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley and Minister with special responsibility for Disability, Emer Higgins today announced capital investment in major disability infrastructure to the value of €9.5m.

This funding will be used to fund projects including children’s respite services, refurbishment of residential centre and adult day services. This investment represents a strengthening of disability infrastructure and ensuring people with disabilities can access high-quality services in modern, person-centred environments close to their communities.

Earlier this year there was a targeted “call to action” by the HSE to Section 38 and Section 39 disability service providers as part of the HSE 2026 Capital Plan.

The funding forms part of the Government’s commitment under the National Development Plan (NDP) to enhancing disability services, which has earmarked €278 million for HSE disability capital projects out to 2030.

Section 38 and 39 disability service providers were asked to put forward capital projects that were already well advanced and that would align with the service needs in that location.

Three projects based in Clare and Limerick were assessed as “shovel ready”, with an estimated combined value of €1.5m.

12 further projects with an estimated combined value of over €8m were deemed well developed. These projects are based in Dublin, Cavan, Waterford, Limerick, Clare, Cork, Kerry and Galway.

Announcing the funding programme, Minister Foley, said:

“This investment demonstrates the Government’s ongoing commitment to improving the disability infrastructure to ensure specialist disability services can meet growing demand.

“Through the National Development Plan funding, we are investing €278 million in disability capital projects up to 2030. I want to people with disabilities to have access to safe, modern and accessible facilities that support independence, inclusion and quality of life. The projects being supported from the call to action will make a real difference to individuals, families and communities”

Minister Higgins welcomed the strong response from service providers:

“The high level of engagement from Section 38 and Section 39 organisations reflects both the ambition of the disability sector and the significant infrastructure needs that exist nationwide.

“These projects will help transform service delivery, enhance accessibility and improve outcomes for people with disabilities. By investing strategically in our disability infrastructure, we are supporting the delivery of person-centred services that enable people to participate fully in their communities .”

The funding programme supports the Government’s broader objective of strengthening disability services and ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with demographic change and evolving service requirements.

Minister Foley welcomes Government approval to ratify UN protocol strengthening protections for children

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Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley, has welcomed Government approval to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The Protocol is aimed at protecting child victims of the sale of children, the exploitation of children in prostitution, and child sexual abuse material.

Several laws have been implemented to ensure Ireland was in a position to ratify the Protocol. These laws address offences relating to sexual exploitation, abuse and trafficking as well as strengthening protections for children, and supporting child victims.

The laws passed to ensure Ireland could comply with the Protocol include the Criminal Justice (Withholding of Information on Offences Against Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012, the Children First Act 2015, the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017, the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017; and the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Act 2024.

Welcoming the Government decision, Minister Foley said:

” Children have the right to be protected from exploitation, abuse and harm. Government approval to ratify the Second Optional Protocol represents another important milestone in Ireland’s implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Ratification demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that children’s rights are protected, respected and promoted and will further strengthen Ireland’s contribution to international efforts in this regard. “

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee, said:

“Ireland’s ratification of this important Protocol represents a key milestone in our global commitment to protect and advance children’s rights.

As we prepare to take our seat on the UN Human Rights Council in 2027 for a three-year term, this is an important signal of our ongoing and steadfast commitment to the UN’s human rights frameworks.”

The ratification of the Protocol will mean that individual children or their representatives can submit a communication to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child if they consider that any of their rights guaranteed by the Second Optional Protocol have been violated. This is facilitated by the Third Optional Protocol on a communications procedure, which Ireland has already ratified.

Minister Foley and Minister Higgins announce recipients of the Power to Participate: Strengthening Stakeholder Engagement Fund 2026

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The Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley, and the Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, Emer Higgins, today announced the successful recipients of the Power to Participate: Strengthening Stakeholder Engagement Fund 2026.

Established by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality the Fund is providing up to €750,000 to Disabled Persons’ Organisations (DPOs) and civil society organisations advocating for disabled people.

The funding is designed to strengthen organisations’ capacity to engage strategically with Government in the delivery of the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030.

The Fund supports a key commitment of the Strategy to establish and embed meaningful participation and stakeholder engagement across Government, ensuring that disabled people and their representative organisations have a strong voice in the development, implementation and monitoring of policies and services that affect their lives.

Congratulating the successful recipients, Minister Foley said:

“I am pleased to announce up to €750,000 from the Power to Participate Fund to help support organisations that work every day to represent the voices and experiences of disabled people across Ireland and thereby shaping the policies and services that affect their lives. I want to thank all Disabled Persons’ Organisations and civil society organisations advocating for disabled people and I look forward to continuing to work with them on progressing the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People.”

Also commending the organisations involved Minister Higgins said:

“The National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People commits us to building a stronger and more inclusive framework for engagement with disabled people and their representative organisations. The Fund supports organisations to enhance their capacity, strengthen advocacy and engagement, and contribute to the delivery of the Strategy’s ambitions over the coming years. I congratulate all of the successful applicants and look forward to seeing the impact of their work.”

By supporting greater participation and engagement by a wide range of organisations, the fund will help advance Ireland’s implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and strengthen the direct involvement of disabled people in decisions affecting their lives. The range of groups being funded include local grassroots organisations, as well as organisations with nationwide reach, cross-impairment groups, and groups that focus on advancing the rights of people with intellectual disabilities, disabled women, autistic people, and the deaf community.

Strand A: Supporting Advocacy
Organisation Amount Location
Sligo
Disabled Persons’ Organisation (DPO)		 €7,350 Sligo
DADA
(Disabled Artists, Disabled Academics)		 €7,500 Nationwide
Disability
Power Ireland		 €7,500 Nationwide
Strand B: Capacity Strengthening
Organisation Amount Location
Disability
Federation of Ireland		 €70,000 Nationwide
Neurodiversity
Ireland		 €79,000 Nationwide
Disabled
Women Ireland		 €96,523 Nationwide
The National
Platform of Self Advocates CLG		 €122,900 Nationwide
Independent
Living Movement Ireland		 €81,100 Nationwide
AsIAm €67,500 Nationwide
Inclusion
Ireland		 €61,000 Nationwide
Irish Deaf
Society		 €74,621 Nationwide
Strand C: Outreach and Collaboration
Organisation Amount Location
Independent
Living Movement Ireland and Donegal DPO		 €3,670 Donegal
Independent
Living Movement Ireland and Mayo DPO		 €4,300 Mayo
Independent
Living Movement Ireland and Sligo DPO		 €9,875 Sligo
Independent
Living Movement Ireland and Tipperary DPO		 €6,550 Tipperary

Clár Naíonra ar TG4 – Domhan Draíochtúil an Naíonra

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Clár Naíonra ar TG4 – Domhan Draíochtúil an Naíonra!

Dear Provider,

 

Great News!

 

We would like to let you all know about a new series on TG4, celebrating the joy of early learning through Irish, showcasing the important work of naíonraí and the positive impact they have on children, families, and communities.

Please feel free to share this information with your networks.

A link to episode 1 is below:

Naíonra | Player | Irish Television Channel, Súil Eile

Episode 2 will be shown on Monday, 2 November, and episode 3 on Monday, 9 November, both at 9pm on TG4.

Kind regards,

 

Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare Division

 

Consultation on the Draft National Guidelines for Professional Practice Placement in Approved Early Learning and Care (ELC) Programmes

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Consultation is open

The Department of Children, Disability and Equality is inviting feedback on the Draft National Guidelines for Professional Practice Placement in Approved Early Learning and Care (ELC) Programmes in Higher and Further Education in Ireland.

Consultation Period

The consultation will be open from 20 October 2026 to 17 November 2026.

Who Should Respond?

Feedback is welcomed from all stakeholders involved in the provision and support of professional practice placement, including:

  • Further and Higher Education providers
  • Programme teams
  • Placement coordinators
  • Placement tutors
  • Placement mentors
  • Representative bodies and sector organisations

Consultation Questions

We particularly welcome feedback on the following areas:

  1. Are any sections of the guidelines unclear or ambiguous? If so, please identify the relevant section and suggest how it could be clarified.
  2. Are there any quality assurance considerations relating to professional practice placement that are missing or insufficiently addressed?
  3. Are the roles and responsibilities of education providers, placement tutors, placement mentors and students clearly defined?
  4. Do the assessment-related guidelines adequately reflect the various purposes of assessment, including formative and summative assessment, and the quality assurance considerations associated with placement contexts?

When providing feedback, respondents are encouraged to reference the relevant section or page number of the draft guidelines and, where possible, suggest alternative wording or approaches.

How to Submit Feedback

Responses should be submitted by email to QAB@dcde.gov.ie with “Draft National Guidelines for Professional Practice Placement in Approved Early Learning and Care (ELC) Programmes in Higher and Further Education in Ireland” included in the subject line.

Please indicate whether you are responding:

  • As an individual; or
  • On behalf of an organisation.

In addition to written submissions, online stakeholder focus groups will be held on:

  • 4 November 2026 – Evening session (time to be confirmed)
  • 5 November 2026 – Afternoon session (time to be confirmed)

Expressions of interest in participating should be sent to QAB@dcde.gov.ie .

Please note that participation places are limited. Submission of an expression of interest does not guarantee a place at a focus group, and not all applicants will be offered a place. Participants will be selected to support a balanced representation of stakeholders.

Next Steps

Feedback received through the consultation process will inform the development of the final guidelines. Publication is anticipated in Q4 2026, following consideration of consultation responses.

Draft National Guidelines for Professional Practice Placement in Approved Early Learning and Care (ELC) Programmes in Higher and Further Education in Ireland
View the fileView

Disabled people from across Europe gather in Dublin for High-Level Conference on Assistive Technology and Accessible Digital Technology

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Disabled people from across Europe will gather in Dublin this week to explore how digital and assistive technology can support their participation, independence and inclusion in all aspects of life.

Assistive technology encompasses a wide range of products to support people in their daily activities and participation in society. It includes glasses, hearing aids, subtitles, communications boards, screen readers, wheelchairs, shower chairs, hoists, and pill organisers.

Disabled people from across Europe will be joined by senior political leaders, researchers and industry representatives at the two-day High-Level Conference on Assistive Technology and Accessible Digital Technology – Empowering Participation.

This Conference will also showcase digital and assistive technologies across a number of areas including personal mobility, vision, hearing, communication and accessibility. It is being hosted by Ireland as part of its Presidency of the Council of the European Union,

Examples of projects on display include a wheelchair that utilizes ‘eyegaze’ technology to provide better mobility for young people with disabilities. This project is being delivered by the Central Remedial Clinic and supported by a €75,000 grant from the HSE’s Cooperative Real Engagement for Assistive Technology Enhancement (CREATE) fund. Rehab Group will be showcasing assistive technologies that support disabled and autistic jobseekers to explore career opportunities and pursue their employment goals, including Virtual Reality (VR) Career Exploration tools and Personal Support Apps for smartwatches and phones. This project has received €125,000 from the HSE’s Create fund.

Opening the Conference, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said:

“Innovation in assistive technologies is moving at a remarkable pace, with developments in both mainstream and specialised technology providing potentially life-changing and transformative opportunities for disabled people. As these technologies develop and improve, ensuring equitable access to them is becoming an increasingly important challenge.

Today’s Conference will be a forum to consider how best Europe can support this innovation, improve access, and ensure assistive technology delivers real and positive impact for all who rely on it, now and in the future.”

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

“Assistive technology can be transformative in people’s lives. A student with dyslexia can use text-to-speech software to aid their learning. An older adult might rely on a walking aid to maintain independence. Assistive technology allows people to participate fully in their communities, including engaging in education, employment and social and cultural activities.

As Europe looks towards 2030, we must continue to strengthen cooperation, support innovation and ensure that the voices and lived experiences of disabled people remain at the centre of policy development in this area.

By working together, we can help build a more inclusive Europe where technology enables everyone to participate and thrive”

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

“This Conference explores assistive technology through a number of different prisms, not simply as a product or service, but also as an enabler of rights, inclusion and participation.

The solutions required to ensure that assistive technology is accessible, affordable and available to those who need it across Europe will require innovation, ambition and collaboration.

Most importantly, these solutions must be grounded in the lived experience of those who use these technologies every day.”

Across two days of discussion, participants will examine the role of assistive technology in supporting education, employment, communication, mobility, independent living and community participation. Delegates will also explore the opportunities and challenges facing the European market, including affordability, innovation and access.

The discussions at this Conference are taking place against the backdrop of wider European efforts to strengthen competitiveness through greater equality and inclusion. On October 19th, 2026, the Council of the European Union, under the Irish Presidency, agreed Council Conclusions which call on the European Commission and Member States to do more to promote equal treatment and remove barriers to labour-market participation through measures such as affordable assistive technologies. Furthermore, on May 6th, 2026, the European Commission adopted the Communication “Enhancing the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities up to 2030” as announced in the Commission Work Programme. This Strategy includes a flagship initiative ‘Assistive Technologies and AI: from lab to market’ to promote better knowledge and strengthen the single market for assistive technologies and AI applications. The aim is to identify and remove bottlenecks that prevent disabled people from benefiting from accessible and affordable technologies.

The conference forms part of an ongoing programme of work by Ireland to promote innovation and access to Digital and Assistive Technology. This work will continue with the Global Expo 2027, organised in cooperation with the WHO, which will take place 24-25 February 2027.

Notes

Assistive technology is an umbrella term for assistive products and their related systems and services. Assistive products help maintain or improve an individual’s functioning related to cognition, communication, hearing, mobility, self-care and vision, thus enabling their health, well-being, inclusion and participation.

The current government schemes to support assistive technology include the following:

  • The Department of Children, Disabilty and Equality’s Access and Inclusion Model for children with disabilities in early years education
  • The HSE’s Aids and Appliances scheme
  • The Department of Housing’s Housing Adaption Grants
  • The Department of Social Protection’s Work and Access scheme
  • The Department of Education’s Assistive Technology Grant
  • The Department of Further and Higher Education’s Fund for Students with Disabilities
  • The HSE’s Cooperative Real Engagement for Assistive Technology Enhancement (CREATE) fund
  • The Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme provides tax relief for purchase of vehicles
  • VAT refunds on eligible assistive products, such as hoists, communication devices, and mobility aids.
  • Zero VAT on wheelchairs, hearing aids, prosthetics etc
  • Globally, more than 2.5 billion people need one or more assistive products, relying on them to live independently, stay connected, and participate fully in daily life. The WHO and UNICEF Global Report on Assistive Technology (GReAT), launched in 2022, highlights that this number is expected to grow to 3.5 billion by 2050. This rise reflects longer lives and increasing rates of noncommunicable diseases.
  • The High-Level Conference on Assistive Technology and Accessible Digital Technology – Empowering Participation will take place at the Convention Centre Dublin on 22-23 October 2026.
  • The Conference will bring together representatives from EU Member States, European institutions, disabled persons’ organisations, civil society organisations, researchers, industry representatives and disabled people.

Discussions will be guided by four key objectives:

On 6 May 2026, the European Commission adopted the Communication “Enhancing the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities up to 2030” as announced in the Commission Work Programme. This Strategy includes a flagship initiative to promote better knowledge and strengthen the single market for assistive technologies and AI applications. The aim is to identify and remove bottlenecks that prevent disabled people from benefiting from accessible and affordable technologies.

The discussions at this Conference are taking place against the backdrop of wider European efforts to strengthen competitiveness through greater equality and inclusion. On October 19th, 2026, the Council of the European Union called on the Commission and Member States to do more to promote equal treatment and remove barriers to labour-market participation through measures such as affordable assistive technologies.

Global Expo 2027:

The HSE Cooperative Real Engagement for Assistive Technology Enhancement (CREATE ) initiative have provided three rounds of funding to different projects which support disabled people to participate across society.