ILMI eBulletin the 18th of September 2026
Onside Evolution officially launched
Last Friday, the 11th of September, the ILMI ONSIDE Evolution team joined our project partners at the Carrickdale Hotel in Dundalk for the official launch of ONSIDE Evolution.
There was a fantastic energy across the partner organisations as we marked the beginning of the new cross border project and looked ahead to the work that will take place over the coming three years.
IMAGE: group photo at venue
For ILMI, ONSIDE Evolution builds on the transformative work of the original ONSIDE project, while going further. Our ONSIDE Evolution team is led by disabled people and will work across Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan and Louth, bringing disabled people together to build digital skills, make connections, participate in their communities and strengthen collective action.
Peter Kearns spoke on behalf of ILMI about the impact of the original ONSIDE project and the importance of building and strengthening local Disabled Persons Organisations (DPOs).
Deputy Erin McGreehan TD also reflected on her support for the original ONSIDE project and welcomed the new ONSIDE Evolution project, while Minister Emer Higgins TD spoke about the importance of collective action and working together.
Social isolation and digital exclusion are barriers experienced by many disabled people. ONSIDE Evolution is about more than providing the tools to get connected. It is about creating opportunities for disabled people to connect with each other, build skills and confidence, learn about their rights, participate in their communities and develop a stronger collective voice for change.
Over the coming weeks and years, ILMI will deliver IT and Active Citizenship programmes for disabled people aged 16 and over across the six border counties.
ONSIDE Evolution is a cross border project between Independent Living Movement Ireland (ILMI), Disability Action Northern Ireland, Supporting Communities and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.
For more information about getting involved with ONSIDE Evolution, contact paulasoraghan@ilmi.ieor keep an eye on ILMI’s social media channels for updates.
Nothing About Us Without Us.
The ONSIDE Evolution Project has been supported by the EU’s PEACE Plus Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).
ILMI participates in the IHREC Conference "Together Rising: Challenging Inequality, Countering Hate"
ILMI was actively involved in the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission’s (IHREC) annual conference on Leadership on Human Rights and Equality: ‘Together Rising: Challenging Inequality, Countering Hate’ in Croke Park last week.
IMAGE: group photo of attendees
Dr James Casey, ILMI ONSIDE Evolution Co-ordinator, spoke on the panel "Voices for Change: Tackling Inequality and Hate". James brought his experience as former Director of the European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) Ireland and also his experience working in ILMI to frame the importance of collective, autonomous spaces to challenge inequality and poverty.
Damien Walshe, ILMI CEO, was part of a panel discussion " Advocating for Advocacy" where he outlined the role of DPOs and specifically how local and national DPOs have begun to change and shape policy. He also noted the specific challenges civil society groups, including DPOs, face in terms of collective organising and resources to do that effectively.
ILMI welcomes UNCRPD Committee publication of General Comment 11 on Article 29 of the Convention
This week the Committee of the UNCRPD has issued general Comment number 11. A general comment is how the Committee of the UNCRPD gives more clarity on how each article can be practically implemented and the scope of obligations on the State in relation to the Convention.
General Comment 11 gives instruction to States on the implementation of Article 29 of the UNCRPD. Article 29 of the CRFPD guarantees Disabled People the right to full and effective participation in political and public life. There are two sections to this article. Section A relates to participation in politics, which includes voting and being part of political systems. Section B relates to the participation of Disabled People in Civic Society including DPOs.
ILMI's role in shaping the UNCRPD General Comment 11
ILMI, through our membership, has developed strong DPO analysis on both sections of Article 29. In 2022, we published "Enabling Participation: supporting the involvement of Disabled People in Political Parties". Since our formation as a DPO in 2018, we have consistently championed the role of self-organised, autonomous spaces of led by and for Disabled People.
In 2025, we made a submission to the UNCRPD committee on both sections of Article 29. From this, Peter Kearns made a presentation to the UN Committee in Geneva where he outlined ILMI's work in supporting the development of local DPOs and how they were beginning to shape the policy context locally.
During the summer, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) put a call out for submissions to develop a General Comment on Article 29.
ILMI's submission focused on the role of DPOs and the impact local and national DPOS have had in Ireland in shaping policy. It also showed that investing in DPOs would allow Disabled People the freedom to collectively organise and develop analysis on a range of topics, not solely relating to impairment.
What does General Comment 11 state?
Article 29 (a)
General Comment is very strong on the obligations on States to ensure access to voting, polling stations, the right to cast a vote and the need for accessible election information. It also notes the " the right to be elected extends beyond formal eligibility to the effective opportunity to stand for election, assume public office and exercise public functions on an equal basis with others, with reasonable accommodation and individualized support, where required". This is linked with ILMI's position paper that specific supports will need to be developed to support Disabled People to seek election in local, general and European elections.
Paragraph 41 notes that targetted approaches may need to be developed in conjuntion with DPOs, including for political parties, as ILMI outlined in our position paper in 2022:
"States parties must also address structural underrepresentation by adopting targeted measures to promote de facto equality across all levels of organizational decision-making, including awareness-raising initiatives, capacity-building strategies and leadership development pathways, developed and implemented in close consultation with and with the active involvement of persons with disabilities through their representative organizations."
What does General Comment 11 state?
Article 29 (b)
In relation to article 29 (b), General Comment 11 is very strong. It notes that "participation continues, in certain contexts, to be episodic, limited to information-sharing or late-stage review, and unable to influence decision-making outcomes, due to inaccessible procedures, information, communication and documentation, inadequate notice, compressed timelines, denial of reasonable accommodation and lack of transparent feedback on how contributions have been assessed and integrated."
For the UNCRPD, Disabled People need to be involved "throughout the policy cycle, including in agenda-setting, drafting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, supported by adequate resources, accessibility measures and transparent procedural guarantees".
General Comment 11 in paragraph 36 states clearly the representational mandate of DPOs and that States can no longer appoint individual Disabled People who have no collective mandate:
"States parties must not treat the appointment of a single person with a disability as sufficient evidence of compliance with article 29 (b) where it results in symbolic representation, isolation or the unreasonable expectation that one individual speak for a diverse constituency. The involvement of family members, supporters, professionals or service providers may complement, but must not replace, the direct participation of persons with disabilities or their representative organizations, which must be led, directed and governed by persons with disabilities."
Paragraph 42 gives a right to Disabled People to form and join DPOs to represent them at " international, national, regional and local levels" and highlights the importance of the "collective and representative dimension of political participation and recognizing organizations of persons with disabilities as autonomous, self-governed representative bodies through which persons with disabilities represent and promote their interests, engage with public authorities and participate in developing laws, policies and institutional frameworks".
Paragraph 42 states that it is up to DPOs to freely decide their structures and systems and to develop their own independent strategies. From this DPOs "must be closely consulted and actively involved in decision-making processes".
Paragraph 44 states that non-compliance with Article 29 (b) (ii) occurs when DPOs " are excluded from institutionalized consultation, monitoring or policy-development processes at local, national, regional or international levels, particularly on matters directly affecting them, or where participation mechanisms are merely formal and their views cannot influence decision-making outcomes."
It also notes that non-compliance occurs where "entities not led, directed or governed" by DIsabled People "are accorded representative status in matters affecting them, contrary to the principle that representation must be grounded in self-organization and accountability" to Disabled People, in accordance with articles 29 (b) (ii) and 4 (3) of the Convention.
This is of huge significance. DPOs in Ireland locally and nationally can clearly call out instances whereby the Disability Industry continue to hold spaces in policy-making processes at the expense of DPOs. This can now be challenged under General Comment 11.
Paragraph 45 states that full compliance of article 29 (b) will be achieved when DPOs can organise freely and collectively to represent with their mandate locally, nationally and internationally " through organizations that are self-governed, independent and accountable" to Disabled People "giving expression to the principle of self-representation."
Paragraph 46 obligates Stateto closely consult with DPOs and that "consultation and active involvement must be meaningful, timely and inclusive" and enable DPOs "to influence the substance, direction and implementation of measures affecting political and public life; be initiated at the earliest stages of policy conception and legislative drafting; and be sustained throughout implementation, monitoring and review, with clear information on how contributions have been assessed and reflected in subsequent stages of the decision-making process. "
Paragraph 50 obligates States to enable DPOs "to operate independently and sustainably as representative interlocutors at international, national, regional and local levels, including by securing equitable and transparent access to resources and capacity-enhancing measures, institutionalizing mechanisms for consultation and participation, and guaranteeing, in accordance with article 33 (3), their full involvement in monitoring frameworks established under article 33 (2). "
General Comment 11 also places obligations on States to "integrate participation in political and public life as a cross-cutting principle into national disability strategies, governance reforms and public administration policies and implement it at every level of government". Action plans, electoral reforms and equality frameworks must have "consistent involvement" of DPOs.
It also notes that participation requires structural change to ensure active involvement of DPOs:
"Effective implementation requires appropriate institutional conditions, including designated public authorities, clear institutional responsibilities and budgetary commitments, effective coordination and monitoring arrangements, implementation timelines, accessible reporting, measurable objectives and adequate, sustained resources to remove legislative, institutional and practical barriers and enable sustained and autonomous engagement."
General Comment 11 also places obligations on the State to effectively resource DPOs, including recognising the administrative burden facing emerging DPOs.
Links:
General Comment 11 of the UNCRPD
Enabling Participation:
ILMI submission to the UNCRPD Committee
ILMI Submission Article 29