Deadline: 22-Sep-2025
The Department of Children, Disability and Equality has announced funding of over €1 million to support new digital and assistive technology projects aimed at improving the lives of disabled people.
The focus areas of CREATE III are Design, Demonstrate and Implement Good Assistive Technology Service Delivery and Create Accessible Digital Education, Training and Resource Hubs for all Projects. Projects will support personal mobility, vision, hearing, communication, and accessibility. All projects must incorporate sustainability approaches such as receiving, reviewing, repairing, reusing, refurbishing, and recycling. Digital platforms will be developed using the Seven Universal Design Principles: equitable use, flexibility in use, simple and intuitive use, perceptible information, tolerance for error, low physical effort, and size and space for approach and use.
Under the Health Service Executive’s Cooperative Real Engagement for Assistive Technology Enhancement (CREATE) initiative, grants ranging from €75,000 to €200,000 will be awarded for eligible projects. This funding is aimed at providing innovative solutions that enhance independence, participation, and inclusion for people with sensory, cognitive, physical, and intellectual disabilities, as well as older people and those living with chronic conditions such as diabetes, stroke, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, or dementia.
Minister Foley emphasized that these projects will build upon previous phases of CREATE, which introduced technologies like walking devices, voice assistants, talking pens, motion sensors, interactive sensory equipment, and smart home devices. The new phase will continue to prioritize improving health, well-being, participation, and inclusion of disabled people, while strengthening Ireland’s commitment to embedding assistive technology across health and social care systems.
Minister of State for Disability Hildegarde Naughton highlighted that CREATE III will focus on empowering individuals to fully participate in all aspects of society and further support the Government’s commitment to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. She also underlined that the program is about driving inclusion and equality by ensuring people have the tools they need to lead independent lives.
Dr Rosemary Gowran, HSE Clinical Lead for the National Clinical Programme for People with Disability, noted that CREATE III will strengthen local systems through practice, innovation, education, and training. The program builds on the achievements of CREATE I and II, which enhanced disability services, supported staff, and introduced alternative and augmentative communication technologies, assistive technology clinics, and resources in education and libraries.
Applications are now open for CREATE III, with queries accepted from 15–25 August 2025 and the final deadline for submissions set at 12 noon on 22 September 2025. Projects must demonstrate a strong record in assistive technology services, a person- and family-centred approach, commitment to collaboration, innovation, and clear evaluation methods.
For more information, visit gov.ie.
