In a recent episode of Disability Matters, hosts John Comiskey and Patrick O’Donnell spoke with Emma Wallace, Member Services and Advocacy Senior Coordinator with Cystic Fibrosis Ireland, and Louise Patterson, parent advocate and campaigner for equitable access to medication. Together, they explored what cystic fibrosis (CF) is, how it affects daily life, and why access […]
In this week’s episode of Disability Matters, host Patrick O’Donnell and John Comiskey spoke with Virgé Connery, Clinical Director and founder of Behaviour Detectives, for a thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation about behavioural psychology, autism, learning new skills, and supporting both children and adults to live more independent and confident lives. Founded in 2017, Behaviour Detectives
In this week’s episode of Disability Matters, host John Comiskey spoke with David Redmond, Communications Officer with Vision Ireland, about living with sight loss, the supports available across Ireland, and how technology is transforming independence for blind and visually impaired people. David, who himself was born with a vision impairment, brought both professional insight and
In this episode of Disability Matters, John Comiskey speaks with Dearbhail Mullan, Treasurer of Williams Syndrome Ireland, alongside her son Ciarán, about living with Williams Syndrome, navigating diagnosis and services, and the vital role of community, advocacy, and support across the lifespan. Williams Syndrome is a rare genetic neurodevelopmental condition, affecting approximately 1 in 10,000
Understanding Williams Syndrome: Community, Advocacy, and Looking to the Future Read More »
In this week’s episode of Disability Matters, host John Comiskey sits down with Fiona O’Driscoll, Regional Patient and Service User Engagement Lead for the HSE Dublin & North East. In an insightful conversation, Fiona explains how the HSE is reshaping healthcare by placing patients, service users, carers, and advocacy organisations at the centre of decision-making.
In this week’s episode of Disability Matters, host John Comiskey sits down with Sharon Lane, Chief Executive Officer of Dyspraxia Ireland, for an in-depth conversation about developmental coordination disorder (DCD) — more commonly known as dyspraxia — and the supports available to children, adults, and families across Ireland. Warm, engaging, and deeply informative, Sharon offers
Dyspraxia Awareness: Moving Beyond Labels and Misconceptions – Sharon Lane Read More »
In our latest Disability Matters episode, John Comiskey speaks with Emma Clarke Conway, Operations Manager at Polio Survivors Ireland, and Mick Keegan, who shares his personal journey from childhood polio to living with post-polio syndrome. This insightful conversation explores the history of polio in Ireland, the long-term challenges survivors face, and the vital supports offered by the organisation. A must-listen for anyone interested in health, disability rights, and community support.
On this week’s episode of Disability Matters, John Comiskey sits down with Sinéad Hayes, a Community Officer with Fingal County Council. Although she joined the Community Development Office only four months ago, Sinéad is already deeply involved in county-wide projects and community engagement — including Fingal Inclusion Week. Starting in Community Development Sinéad laughs when
More Than 80 Ways to Get Involved: Sinéad Hayes about Fingal Inclusion Week 2025 Read More »
On this week’s episode of Disability Matters, host John Comiskey speaks with Sinéad Crawley, National Service Manager, and Sara Prodoni, Training & Employment Facilitator, from Acquired Brain Injury Ireland (ABII). They discuss the causes of acquired brain injury, the life-changing impact it can have, and the vital supports ABII provides to survivors and their families.
This week on Disability Matters, John Comiskey speaks with Reinhard Schäler, CEO and founder of the SAOL Foundation, an organisation created out of one family’s determination to change what support looks like for people living with severe acquired brain injury (sABI) in Ireland. A Family Story That Sparked a National Conversation Reinhard’s son, Padraig, had
