Our new strategic plan and vision for connected communities
- Kare
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 21 hours ago
We are delighted to share our new Strategic Plan 2026–2030 which was launched today by Emer Higgins, Minister of State with special responsibility for Disability.
The plan sets out our 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 our vision for ‘Connected communities where everyone belongs’. We will focus 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.
This plan has been shaped through extensive engagement with the people we support, 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 people we support.
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.”
Our organisation has expanded significantly since it was founded in 1967, and we continue to respond to increasing demand for services. Through this plan, we have 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 we approach our 60th anniversary in 2027, the new strategic plan reflects on where our organisation has come from and sets out a clear direction for the future.
The full strategic plan and Easy Read version are available at https://www.kare.ie/strategicplan.
