Kare’s new strategic plan sets out vision for connected communities

Non-profit organisation Kare, which provides services and supports for people with intellectual disabilities, has published its new strategic plan. The five-year plan was launched yesterday in Newbridge by Emer Higgins, Minister of State with special responsibility for Disability.

The plan sets out Kare’s direction for the coming years, with a continued focus on supporting people with intellectual disabilities to live the life they choose as equal and respected members of their communities.

Central to the plan is Kare’s vision for ‘Connected communities where everyone belongs’. It is focused on delivering high-quality, person-centred services alongside five other priorities: advocacy, governance, supporting staff, technology and innovation, and building strong partnerships and long-term sustainability.

Kare shaped the plan through extensive engagement with the people Kare supports, their families and staff, to reflect what matters most to them. A key event in the consultation process was the Beyond Barriers conference held in November 2025 by the Voice for Kare advocacy committee, which was attended by more than 100 individuals supported by Kare.

The Chairperson of Voice for Kare, David Leigh, welcomed the Minister and guests to the launch event and said: “Last November we held our Beyond Barriers conference. This was a very important event where people who use Kare’s services came together to talk about the things that matter most to us. The ideas and discussions from the day have helped to shape this plan. I am looking forward to seeing how Kare grows and improves over the next five years.”

Kare has expanded significantly since it was founded in 1967, and continues to respond to increasing demand for its services. Through this plan, the organisation has set out an ambitious programme of work which will see continued expansion of services to meet changing needs, including the opening of two new day services later this year in Newbridge and Athy.

Kare CEO, Margaret O’Neill, commented: “Kare has always adapted to meet the needs of the people we support, and those needs continue to grow and change. This plan sets out how we will respond to that in the years ahead, in alignment with Ireland’s National Human Rights Strategy for People with Disabilities. It’s ambitious, but it is rooted in Kare’s history, values and community spirit, which remain at the heart of everything we do.”

Minister Higgins said: “As Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, I am delighted to launch Kare’s new strategic plan. Their vision of connected communities where everyone belongs is both powerful and meaningful, and it reflects a clear commitment to supporting people with intellectual disabilities to live full, independent and inclusive lives. This reflects the work we are continuing across Government to build a more inclusive society, where people with disabilities are supported to take part fully, feel valued, and truly belong in their communities.”

 As Kare approaches its 60th anniversary in 2027, the new strategic plan reflects on where the organisation has come from and sets out its direction for the future.

The full strategic plan and Easy Read version are available at https://www.kare.ie/strategicplan.