A major research review of the Disability Act 2005, the State’s principal disability law, has found that it no longer reflects the modern standards for disability rights and requires significant reform to deliver greater accountability, participation and equality.  The report was carried out by University of Galway and launched today (Thursday June 25th) at the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission in Dublin.  The review states that reform of disability rights is necessary to align Irish law with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD).  The Disability Act 2005 at 21: Reflecting, Reforming, Reimagining was produced by Professor Shivaun Quinlivan and Dr Charles O’Mahony at University of Galway’s School of Law, with support from the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Communicating Europe Initiative.  Drawing on a national survey, stakeholder engagement, and critical legal analysis, the report concludes that the Disability Act 2005 reflects an approach focused more on administrative and policy responsibilities than on legally enforceable rights.  The report states that many of the Act’s core provisions remain constrained by weak enforcement mechanisms, limited accountability and the absence of effective remedies where statutory obligations are not fulfilled.  It also identifies a number of key reform priorities including: Transforming the Assessment of Need process for disabled people into an enforceable entitlement framework, creating clearer rights to services and supports and stronger accountability for their delivery Strengthening accessibility obligations Updating protections relating to genetic testing and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence Embedding the principles of the UN CRPD directly into Irish law  Professor Shivaun Quinlivan, University of Galway School of Law and one of the authors of the report, said: “The only enforceable entitlement in the the Assessment of Need process, the assessment itself, has failed to deliver the transformation promised in 2005. While the legislation creates a right to assess need, it does not create a corresponding enforceable right to receive the services identified. The result is a framework that frequently records unmet need without remedying it. Long waiting times, resource constraints, litigation, and persistent implementation failures have significantly weakened confidence in the system.  “The Programme for Government commitment to reform reflects an acknowledgement that the current framework has not delivered for many disabled people and their families. The question now is not whether reform is necessary, but whether Ireland is prepared to move from a system of administrative discretion for the HSE to one of enforceable rights and accountability consistent with the United Nations approach/standards.”  Dr Charles O’Mahony said: “What struck us most throughout this project was not just the scale of frustration with the Disability Act 2005, but the extraordinary clarity, insight, and determination of disabled people and their families about what needs to change. Across the research, the national survey and conference, people spoke powerfully about the gap between rights promised and rights realised, between policy commitments and what living in Ireland as a disabled person is like. Participants in the research spoke with hope, ambition, and a vision for a more inclusive and fair Ireland.”  The launch comes at a pivotal moment as a nationwide consultation on the future of the Disability Act 2005 is being conducted by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, marking the first comprehensive review of the legislation since its enactment more than twenty years ago. It runs until September 9th.  The researchers hope the report will serve as a practical resource for disabled people, Disabled Persons’ Organisations, representative bodies, advocates, policymakers, and public bodies preparing submissions to the Government consultation process.   Professor Quinlivan said: “The consultation recently announced by Government is an important first step. However, the international evidence and stakeholder feedback gathered through this research project tells us that meaningful reform requires disabled people not simply to be consulted, but to be actively involved in shaping, leading, monitoring, and evaluating the reform process itself.”  See here for information on the Government consultation process.  The full report The Disability Act 2005 at 21: Reflecting, Reforming, Reimagining is available here.  Ends

Honey bee researchers have launched a call for citizen scientists to report sightings of wild honey bee nests, beehives and foraging. Are honey bees foraging in your garden? Do you have beehives in or around Galway city? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, or you know of where there are beehives near you, then the team would love to hear from you! There are over 100 different bee species in Ireland with one of those being the honey bee. They are relatively smaller than other bee species and not as ‘fluffy’ as a bumblebee. People are familiar with honey bees being kept in hives by beekeepers but honey bees are a wild species too.  More importantly, native wild honey bees are now considered as endangered under the International Union for Conservation of Nature, but wild colonies are a frequent sight in Ireland where they live in cavities, in trees, roofs or walls. Professor Grace McCormack, Galway Honey Bee Research Centre at University of Galway, said: “In Co Galway, to date, we have recorded more than 190 wild colonies, although we know there are likely to be many more. “However, there is a large gap in our knowledge – we do not know how the native wild honey bee and other wild pollinators are affected by managed bees, which live in beehives. We don’t know because we don’t know how many beekeepers there are or where their hives are.” University of Galway has 12 hives in Galway city and is keen to ensure that its beekeeping is sustainable, not adversely impacting wild honey bees, other beekeepers, or other bee species. To better understand how many hives would be a sustainable number, the research team are exploring what other hives might be in the area and where its bees, and other bees, are getting their food. The research team would love to hear from anyone who has any information on: Honey bee apiaries, hives or nest sightings in the area Honey bees feeding on pollinator friendly plants in your gardens or area Professor McCormack added: “The native Irish honey bee, also known as the black bee, is uniquely adapted to Ireland’s climate. However, it is currently under threat from non-native imports, climate change, invasive species and a lack of resources such as food and nesting space. “This research is important as it will provide a clearer understanding of honey bee and pollinator activity in Galway, to help us develop conservation measures and sustainable management strategies for apiaries that can be applied within Galway and nationally.” All information provided will be kept confidential. To submit sightings and queries, please contact Pamela Madigan at P.Madigan1@universityofgalway.ie  or 087 4474811 or Professor Grace McCormack at grace.mccormack@universityofgalway.ie or 086 0227227. Ends

New Sustainability Strategy targets carbon-neutral, nature-positive and healthy campus University of Galway has cemented its position as a global leader on sustainability impact, retaining its place as No.1 in Ireland, third in the European Union and top 100 in the world for the fifth year in a row.  The Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026 rank University of Galway ahead of all the universities in Ireland for performance on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.  More than 1,600 institutions from 116 countries are ranked in the THE Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026.  It placed the University at 68th in the world and 3rd in the EU.  University of Galway has been Ireland's leading university for sustainability for five years. To mark the achievement and as Ireland prepares to take over the Presidency of the European Union next week, the University launched its new Sustainability Strategy 2026-2030, setting out the next phase of its sustainability ambitions, at a special meeting of the ENLIGHT European University Alliance in Galway.  Professor Becky Whay, University of Galway Deputy President and Registrar, said: “At University of Galway, sustainability is central to our purpose and identity. It shapes how we teach, learn, research, operate and engage. We aim to lead the transition to a sustainable future and foster the next generation of leaders and innovators to tackle global challenges. The University of Galway Sustainability Strategy 2026-2030 builds on a decade of institutional commitment and leadership, setting a renewed direction for a carbon-neutral, nature-positive and healthy university with a focus on education for sustainable development. It reflects our belief that universities have both the capacity and the responsibility to lead transformative change for people and planet.”  Dr Richard Manton, Director of Sustainability at University of Galway, said: “As we launch our third sustainability strategy, we are very proud to once again be ranked as Ireland’s top university for performance on the Sustainable Development Goals. As recognised in SDG 17, partnership for the goals, we will only achieve our sustainability objectives by working closely with our partners on campus, in our city and across our region. I would like to thank our 100-person Community University Sustainability Partnership for developing the new strategy and for driving our sustainability efforts for the past 11 years.”  The Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026 recognise University of Galway for particularly strongly performance on Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG12), where it is ranked 8th in the world. Other strengths are 23rd for Partnerships for the Goals (SDG17), 48th for Good Health and Wellbeing (SDG3) and 58th for Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG6).  The new Sustainability Strategy at University of Galway sets out an ambitious vision for a carbon-neutral, nature-positive and healthy campus, underpinned by a Learn-Live-Lead model, connecting education, research and operations to real-world impact.  There are 10 areas of focus in the strategy: research and innovation, teaching, learning and assessment, energy and buildings, nature and ecosystems, procurement, travel, circular economy, health and wellbeing, engagement and leadership, and governance and reporting. Key targets and actions include: Embedding sustainability competencies in all educational programmes at the University Achieving Green Lab certification for all labs on campus Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2030 and moving ambitiously towards carbon neutrality Securing Gold in the NTA Smarter Travel Mark Implementing a new biodiversity action plan for a nature positive campus Building on the successful elimination of single-use cups, removing remaining single-use plastic catering items Achieving Platinum rating in the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS)  The Sustainability Strategy 2026-2030 is available at www.universityofgalway.ie/sustainability/strategy  Ends