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 enable organisations in Dublin and across Ireland to 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. ?Applications are open now at?rethinkireland.ie?and will close on 23 April 2026.
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 disabled 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.