Six students were today awarded disability postgraduate research scholarships as part of an effort to broaden knowledge on the needs of people with disabilities in Ireland.
The Scholarships are funded by the National Disability Authority (NDA) who said the research projects are intended to encourage a clearer analysis and understanding of the challenges faced by people with disabilities in their lives, as well as those facing their family and carers.
Ms Claire O’Connor, the new director of the NDA, said over the next three years the body intended to tackle the low level of research into disabilities to gain more information on the numbers and needs of people with disabilities in Ireland.
Today’s awards brings to 39 the number of scholarships given since 1992 when the award scheme was started by the National Rehabilitation Board. The awards were taken over by the NDA in 2000.
The projects encompass a range of disability issues including access to higher education for the visually impaired, the study of disabled people and sexual expression; mothers of children with disabilities acting as their mediators with society; and study of comparative disability law and society.
There were 31 applications for this year’s awards, which were announced by the Minister for State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Ms Mary Wallace who said she was impressed by the range and practical nature of the work to be undertaken.
The Minister also announced that NDA is to fund the Chair of Disability Studies at University College Dublin and that the college is currently recruiting for the this and other positions.
She said: "The new position will offer an opportunity to research disability issues in an academic environment. It will also be used to encourage people with disabilities to get involved in research and study."