Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 22 October 2025
Committee on Disability Matters
Participation in Community Life for Persons with Disabilities: Discussion
2:00 am
Mr. Jimmy D'Arcy:
I do not think we have a formal relationship with AsIAm at the moment but it is definitely on our radar. I met someone from the organisation at a networking event recently. That person reached out. Developing partnerships with expert organisations such as AsIAm is very much the strategy we follow in the community and health department to build our capacity to support clubs and units and to reach out to as many diverse groups as possible.
On the sensory gardens and rooms, there are more and more units. There is now one in Breffni Park in Cavan. Through our green club programme, the idea of building these spaces, in some cases using recycled materials and other things, and bringing these diverse groups into the GAA grounds is resulting in different types of facilities being developed through initiatives by the clubs. Ms Keane is leading on an EDI strategy for the organisation. That strategy is going to have to look at these things and provide roadmaps and resources.