National Disability Authority

The National Disability Authority (NDA) is the independent statutory body, providing evidence-based advice and research to Government on disability policy and practice and promoting Universal Design.

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The Big Idea Showcase 2025

Updated NDA Guidance on the Role of Access Officers for Public Bodies

We would like to hear from families on their experience of the Children’s Disability Network Team service model

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Browse by Topic

See our policy, research, publications and guidelines by topic.

Transforming Disability Services

Children

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Justice, Equality and Addressing Violence and Abuse

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Housing and Environment

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Participation in Society

Awareness Raising and Attitudes

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Guidance for conducting collaborative research with disabled people

A substantial body of research has indicated that involving disabled people in research can enhance the quality of research processes and outputs, and ensure that research aligns with the UNCRPD and the rights-based perspective.

This guidance document is a practical resource to support researchers to meaningfully involve people with disabilities in collaborative research projects.
The guidance may also be useful for disabled people who are interested in getting involved in research and for organisations who wish to support their members to get involved in research.
The guidance is based on an extensive literature review, and a series of discussion groups with representatives of Disabled Persons Organisations (DPOs), disabled individuals, representatives of voluntary and community organisations, and researchers on the topic of collaborative research.

Read the full Guidance document, or see a summary in Easy to Read or Irish Sign Language

Cover of Participation Matters document - decorative

ISL Video - About the NDA

15 Sept 2022

3:11

Our Centre for Excellence in Universal Design

The Centre for Excellence in Universal Design (CEUD) is dedicated to enabling the design of environments that can be accessed, understood and used regardless of a person's age, size, ability or disability. The CEUD is part of the National Disability Authority.

United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD)

Ireland ratified the UNCRPD in 2018. It is an international human rights treaty, It underpins the work of the National Disability Authority.

Irish Sign Language Act 2017

Our report on the operation of the Irish Sign Language Act 2017 was presented to the Minister in July 2021 and was published in January 2023.

Forthcoming Research

We are working on a cost benefit analysis of universally designed housing, looking at the impact of Covid-19 on the employment of people with disabilities, and examining the impact of the cessation of the Wards of Court system in Ireland.

Our Use of Language

Throughout this website the terms “persons with disabilities” and “disabled people” are used interchangeably. The term ‘disabled people’ is recognised by many within the disability rights movement in Ireland to align with the social and human rights model of disability, as it is considered to acknowledge the fact that people with an impairment are disabled by barriers in the environment and society. However, we also recognise that others prefer the term “persons with disabilities” because of the inherent understanding in the term that they are first and foremost human beings entitled to human rights. This reflects the language used in the UNCRPD. Finally, we recognise that some people do not identify as being disabled.