Conference Close and Presenting of Awards Under the NDA Research Promotion Scheme 2002

The Launch of the NDA Research Promotion Scheme 2002

Now, we come to the last event of an historic day for disability research in Ireland: the launch of the NDA Research Promotion Scheme 2002. I am delighted to formally announce the award of research funding to 9 projects under the 2002 Scheme. The NDA initiated the Research Promotion Scheme to facilitate research by disability groups and community/voluntary groups working on disability issues. Through the scheme the NDA provides support to such groups in order to:

• Build their capacity to undertake research
• Increase our knowledge and understanding of disability issues at local and national level
• Inform policy makers and service providers of the needs of people with disabilities.

This year groups could apply for project funding of up to €12,500, to cover costs such research expertise and overheads, travel and subsistence, and publication and dissemination costs. All of the research funded will be completed within a year, so by this time next year we will have the results and findings from the nine projects funded in 2002. With almost 50 applications received in this inaugural year of the scheme, it is obvious that there is a strong need for this type of research funding to be provided for disability and community groups. Groups all over the country are becoming more and more aware of the value of supporting their aims and objectives with quality research and evidence-based arguments.

The NDA is delighted to be in a position to help mobilise this relatively untouched resource through a scheme which I’m sure will be of great benefit to both the individual groups and their communities, and also to people with disabilities throughout the country, as lessons are learned and knowledge is shared. Indeed, as a sign of the NDA’s commitment to this scheme it gives me great pleasure to confirm that, despite tightening budgetary conditions in the public sector, funding for next years scheme has already been secured. This year, following assessment of applications by members of the NDA’s Research Advisory Committee working group on the RPS, namely Cliona Ni Chualain, Clare Dunne and Prof. Ferdinand von Prondzynski, ably assisted by the WRC as technical support to the scheme (all of whom I would like to thank for their time and commitment), nine projects were recommended and approved for funding – all of which I am pleased to say are represented here today.

• On behalf of AHEAD, Anne Heelan is accepting an award of €12,500 for research to design and implement an open learning staff development pack on Accessible Curriculum and Including Students with Disability
• On behalf of the Clondalkin Tallaght Disability Network, Aaron Abbey accepts an award of €9,000 for research to provide baseline information on the accessibility of public places in the Clondalkin area of Dublin
• On behalf of the Irish Deaf Society, John Bosco Conama accepts an award of €12,000 for research which aims to establish the relative poverty level of Deaf people in Ireland, and to identify the causes of such poverty
• On behalf of the Irish Tinnitus Association, Jean Scott accepts an award of €10,600 for research to determine the therapeutic and other support needs of people with tinnitus, and to influence public policy towards improved provision of services to meet those needs
• On behalf of the Nigel Clare Network Trust Ireland, Mairi McElhil accepts an award of €12,500 to undertake research which aims to produce recommendations on what is best practice in relation to helping carers balance work and caring responsibilities
• On behalf of the Northside Partnership, Dublin, Teresa Butler accepts an award of €12,500 for research to identify policy blocks to local disabled people’s participation in mainstream training and employment, and to indicate alternative models to identified blocks which can be piloted
• On behalf of the Roscommon Disability Awareness Group, Linda Sice accepts an award of €12,500 for a project, which will identify the needs of people with disabilities in Roscommon, heightening awareness through the identification of gaps, and possible overlaps in service provision.
• On behalf of Sugradh, Margaret Webb accepts an award of €12,500 for research to examine the existing public play provision for children with disabilities in Ireland, to establish children’s’ requirements in relation to access and suitability of playgrounds, and to improve policy and provision of play through a better understanding of the need for ‘inclusive play’;
• On behalf of the Westgate Foundation, Noel Byrne accepts an award of €12,500 to undertake research, which will explore and identify the mental health care needs of Older People with disabilities from the Ballincollig area of Cork.

Congratulations to all of this year's recipients. I’d like to wish them every success in the course of their research, and will look forward to learning the results of their work this time next year.