Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton T. D. joined with primary school pupils from Claddagh National School, Galway to launch the tenth annual Someone Like Me Art competition.
Pupils and their teachers across the country will receive cross-curricular learning and teaching materials, which help celebrate the things that unite children of all abilities, drawing on personal experience and encouraging more positive attitudes towards persons with disabilities.
Encouraging primary school principals, teachers and pupils alike to take part in this year’s competition as a way of ensuring acceptance and inclusion of disabled children from an early age, Minister Naughton said
As a former primary school teacher, I know just how important our classrooms are when it comes to shaping the attitudes and behaviours of our youngest citizens.
In turn, classroom learning is taken home and becomes part of multi-generational conversations which actively helps to build a more inclusive society, where all have equity of opportunity to participate in cultural, social and economic life and to lead meaningful and fulfilled lives as valued members of the community.
The competition, offers a range of prizes to the value of over €1,000, is open to all primary school or home-schooled pupils in Ireland, from junior infants to sixth class. Entries are welcome from individual pupils, a class or even a whole school as a combined effort.
There will be a junior and senior category winner in every county, along with an overall junior and an overall senior national winner.
Teacher resources, and full competition details can be found on the Someone Like Me Art Competition website.
The final deadline for entries is 14 November 2025.