A&L Goodbody (in this article) states that "Section 16 of the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015 (the Act) forms the bedrock of the duty to provide reasonable accommodation in Ireland. Put simply, section 16 places a duty on employers to provide “appropriate measures” to enable an employee to carry out their employment duties, provided the employee will be … Continue reading 30 Inexpesive Reasonable Accomodations that I have seen work in Irish Workplaces
Author: Barry Walsh
The Companies Accessibility Network – CAN, will hold its next event at Dell Technologies on 16 April 2026.
The story of the Companies Accessibility Network (CAN) began at an AHEAD Ireland event in 2019, where representatives from Dell Technologies, ESB, and Bank of Ireland were all actively hiring people with disabilities, yet each company expected candidates to tailor their approach to suit the individual organisation. The representatives got together and asked themselves why … Continue reading The Companies Accessibility Network – CAN, will hold its next event at Dell Technologies on 16 April 2026.
People to follow from One Young World, Munich 2025 – Politicians, Celebrities, and OYW Senior Staff, Part 2
In the first two sections of my review of people I met or heard from at One Young World 2025 in Munich, I featured company founders, and in the second section, I featured people who spoke at the event from large organisations who are making a difference in the world. In this section, I will … Continue reading People to follow from One Young World, Munich 2025 – Politicians, Celebrities, and OYW Senior Staff, Part 2
People to follow from One Young World, Munich 2025 – Not For Profit Leaders, Politicians, Celebrities, and OYW Senior Staff, Part 1
In the first two sections of my review of people I met or heard from at OYW2025, I featured company founders, and in the second section, I featured people who spoke at the event from large organisations who are making a difference in the world. In this section, I will be reviewing the people who … Continue reading People to follow from One Young World, Munich 2025 – Not For Profit Leaders, Politicians, Celebrities, and OYW Senior Staff, Part 1
Sonia Harris: Why the PR industry must be more reflective of society in general
One in five PR agencies in Ireland has no employees from a diverse background. On average, just 17% of workers across the sector come from a diverse background, despite a quarter of people living in Ireland having been born elsewhere. As the industry's own research lays bare the scale of the challenge, Sonia Harris, founder … Continue reading Sonia Harris: Why the PR industry must be more reflective of society in general
People to follow from One Young World – Speakers from large companies, Part 4
This is part four of my series looking at 100 speakers to follow from large organisations that spoke at OYW2025 in Munich, Germany. This article features speakers from companies such as the Sandoz, Reckitt, Royles-Royce, Allianz SE and organisations involved in politics and peace building, to name a few. Like parts one and two, their … Continue reading People to follow from One Young World – Speakers from large companies, Part 4
People to follow from One Young World – Speakers from large companies, Part 3
This is part three of my series looking at 100 speakers to follow from large organisations that spoke at OYW2025 in Munich, Germany. This article features speakers from companies such as the Sandoz,Reckitt, Royles-Royce, Allianz SE and organisation invovled in politics and peace building to name a few. Like part one and two, their expertise … Continue reading People to follow from One Young World – Speakers from large companies, Part 3
Assistive Technology is giving a voice to people with disabilities, St John of God Community Services event hears
17th February 2026. Pictured at the ‘AT in Action: From Rights to Reality’ event organised by St John of God Community Services and FreedomTech in Dublin today was Patrick Fitzgerald, SJOGCS DigiCoach tech peer trainer. The event was part of the Community Hub for Accessible Technology (CHAT) programme and highlighted the role of assistive technology in promoting rights, inclusion and independence for people living with a disability. PHOTO: Justin Farrelly
People to follow from One Young World – Speakers from large companies, Part 2
This is part two of my series looking at 100 speakers to follow from OYW2025 in Munich, Germany. This article features speakers from companies such as the BCC Siemens, CBS, Ikea, UNHCR, Reckitt and The Nobel Women's intiative to name a few. Like part one, their expertise is in a range of areas such as … Continue reading People to follow from One Young World – Speakers from large companies, Part 2
People to follow from OYW2025 – Speakers from large companies – Part 1
Following on from my four articles about the incredible founders, One Young World staff, and coordinating ambassadors from around the world, this next series of articles turns its focus to speakers from large organisations who are championing the work their companies are doing on the global stage. They represent a genuinely broad cross-section of industries … Continue reading People to follow from OYW2025 – Speakers from large companies – Part 1
50 Irish Companies in DEI To Watch in 2026 Part 2
As I mentioned in part 1, 2025 tested Irish businesses like never before, with the DEI sector being one of the hardest hit. Whether it's multinational policy changes, budget cuts, tariffs, or inflation, any of these factors could have crushed even the savviest entrepreneurs. So here is part 2 of my article on '50 Irish … Continue reading 50 Irish Companies in DEI To Watch in 2026 Part 2
50 Irish Companies in DEI To Watch in 2026 Part 1
2025 tested Irish businesses like never before, with the DEI sector being one of the hardest hit. Whether it's multinational policy changes, budget cuts, tariffs, or inflation, any of these factors could have crushed even the savviest entrepreneurs. However, 50 standout Irish businesses bucked the storm—clinching awards at home and abroad, winning global headlines, and … Continue reading 50 Irish Companies in DEI To Watch in 2026 Part 1
The Best Related Newsletters in Ireland
The Irish newsletter industry has grown rapidly as a direct-to-reader model, bypassing traditional media amid high digital news consumption, with 56% of Irish people reporting extreme or very high interest in news. It’s said that 20% of news consumers now pay for online content (up 3 points from 2024), fueling platforms like The Irish Times … Continue reading The Best Related Newsletters in Ireland
People to follow from One Young World 2025 – Founders, OYW staff or coordinating ambassadors – Part 4
This is the third article in my series of People to follow from One Young World 2025. You can view my first article here, my second article here and my third article here. This article will focus on delegates at One Young World 2025 who have founded their own company, are One Young World staff, or are … Continue reading People to follow from One Young World 2025 – Founders, OYW staff or coordinating ambassadors – Part 4
People to follow from One Young World 2025 – Founders, OYW staff or coordinating ambassadors – Part 3
This is the third article in my series of People to follow from One Young World 2025. You can view my first article here and my second article here This article will focus on delegates at One Young World who have founded their own company, are One Young World staff, or are One Young World coordinating … Continue reading People to follow from One Young World 2025 – Founders, OYW staff or coordinating ambassadors – Part 3
People to follow from One Young World 2025 – Founders, OYW staff or coordinating ambassadors – Part 2
This is the second article in my series of People to follow from One Young World 2025. You can view my first article here This article will focus on delegates at One Young World who have founded their own company, are One Young World staff, or are One Young World coordinating ambassadors. If you prefer, … Continue reading People to follow from One Young World 2025 – Founders, OYW staff or coordinating ambassadors – Part 2
People to follow from One Young World 2025 – Delegate founders, OYW staff or coordinating ambassadors – Part 1
I had the privilege to be one of the 2,000 people from 192 countries to be given a ticket to the One Young World 2025 Summit in Munich. This was my third One Young World after being nominated originally by Dell Technologies in 2019, then been given a ticket as a returning ambassador for Belfast … Continue reading People to follow from One Young World 2025 – Delegate founders, OYW staff or coordinating ambassadors – Part 1
Jakub Gietka’s Journey from Rare Disease Diagnosis to International Disability Inclusion Leader with support from One Young World and AstraZeneca
Jakub Gietka, was born with spinal muscular atrophy in Poland. After getting a dire prognosis and with little support from the state, Jakub created a career for himself. From 2018 freelance web design via G-COM self-employment, public sector roles at Mazovian Voivodeship Office and Protip, Roche consulting, and policy research at the Institute of Finance, … Continue reading Jakub Gietka’s Journey from Rare Disease Diagnosis to International Disability Inclusion Leader with support from One Young World and AstraZeneca
Barts Health’s Soph Quill Reveals EDI Transformation: Interactive Bias Training, Anonymized Recruitment, and Five-Pillar Strategy to Reflect how it’s Diverse Staff Backgrounds are
Soph Quill, Inclusion Business Partner at Barts Health NHS Trust since April, describes how the UK's largest trust—with over 25,000 staff across five East London hospitals—is revamping EDI training for bias reflection via interactive scenarios, embedding inclusive recruitment like anonymized shortlisting, and launching a St Bartholomew’s strategy around five SMART priorities: Inclusive Leadership, BHSM reduction, … Continue reading Barts Health’s Soph Quill Reveals EDI Transformation: Interactive Bias Training, Anonymized Recruitment, and Five-Pillar Strategy to Reflect how it’s Diverse Staff Backgrounds are
Catherine Hearns – Created Mycomfort.ie for sleep aids for migraine sufferers
After 30 years in retail management, Catherine Hearns launched MyComfort.ie in 2023, to provide sustainable, ethically made migraine relief products inspired by her own health with hemiplegic migraine and related conditions. Her retail experience gave her strong business skills, while health challenges prompted a career shift from retail to entrepreneurship. She actively markets via social … Continue reading Catherine Hearns – Created Mycomfort.ie for sleep aids for migraine sufferers
Bank of Ireland Leads the Way with Groundbreaking Neuroinclusion Strategy to Foster Inclusive Recruitment Neurodivergent People
Earlier this month I was invited back to my former employer - Bank of Ireland’s. I joined approximately 80 other people, including the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Ray McAdam, for their Neuroinclusion Strategy launch. This launch was the bank's official strategy to become a more neuroinclusive employer by recognising the need to improve inclusivity … Continue reading Bank of Ireland Leads the Way with Groundbreaking Neuroinclusion Strategy to Foster Inclusive Recruitment Neurodivergent People
After 9 years, over 300 articles, featuring thousands of case studies — here are the 20 most common mistakes I see Irish businesses make online
It’s my nine-year anniversary with ThinkBusiness.ie. Between it and FocusOnDiversity.ie, I’ve now written over 300 articles showcasing Irish businesses across every corner of the economy — I freely admit that I do have a particular bias towards promoting people with disabilities and companies championing diversity, equity, and inclusion, but with ThinkBusiness.ie I’ve also showcased businesses … Continue reading After 9 years, over 300 articles, featuring thousands of case studies — here are the 20 most common mistakes I see Irish businesses make online
WTF Happened A new book that chronicles the legacy and lasting impact of #WakingTheFeminists movement in Irish theatre
WTF Happened - A new book that chronicles the legacy and lasting impact of the #WakingTheFeminists movement in Irish theatre WTF Happened, edited by Sarah Durcan with Lian Bell, was born from a belief that the story of #WakingTheFeminists deserved to be preserved for future generations. The movement challenged gender inequality at the heart of Irish theatre … Continue reading WTF Happened A new book that chronicles the legacy and lasting impact of #WakingTheFeminists movement in Irish theatre
50 People of colour, or of minority ethnic backgrounds in Ireland that could be your next guest speaker – Part 2
Here is the second part of my series on the best people of colour or minority ethnic backgrounds that could be your next guest speaker. You can find the first part here. It's estimated that there are approximently 227,000 people in Ireland that identify as being a person of colour or being from minority ethinic … Continue reading 50 People of colour, or of minority ethnic backgrounds in Ireland that could be your next guest speaker – Part 2
50 People of colour, or of minority ethnic backgrounds in Ireland that could be your next guest speaker – Part 1
It's estimated that there are approximently 227,000 people in Ireland that identify as being a person of colour or being from minority ethinic background. This represents around 5% of Ireland’s total population. However often people of colour or minrity ethinic backgrounds opinions are left out of events, workshops or corporate communications because of unconcious bias … Continue reading 50 People of colour, or of minority ethnic backgrounds in Ireland that could be your next guest speaker – Part 1
Irish Companies, People or Programmes for Parents. Part 4 Names Beginning with R-Y
The is the final article of four articles about ‘ The Best Irish People, Companies or Programmes for Parents’. You can see the first article here and the second article here and the third article here. Each year in Ireland there are approximately 54,000 to 55,000 babies are born. Whether it’s new borns, toddlers or school aged children, … Continue reading Irish Companies, People or Programmes for Parents. Part 4 Names Beginning with R-Y
The Best Irish Companies, People or Programmes for Parents. Part 3: Names beginning with M-Q
The is the third of four articles about ' The Best Irish People, Companies or Programmes for Parents'. You can see the first article here and the second article here. Each year in Ireland there are approximately 54,000 to 55,000 babies are born. Whether it’s new borns, toddlers or school aged children, parents in Ireland … Continue reading The Best Irish Companies, People or Programmes for Parents. Part 3: Names beginning with M-Q
The Best Irish Companies, People or Programmes for Parents Part 2: Names Beginning With D-L
The is the second of four articles about ' The Best Irish Companies, People or Programmes for Parents' You can see the first article here. Each year in Ireland there are approximately 54,000 to 55,000 babies are born. Whether it’s new borns, toddlers or school aged children, parents in Ireland are lucky that there are … Continue reading The Best Irish Companies, People or Programmes for Parents Part 2: Names Beginning With D-L
The Best Irish Companies, People or Programmes for Parents Part 1: Names Beginning With A-C
Each year in Ireland there are approximately 54,000 to 55,000 babies are born. Whether it's new borns, toddlers or school aged children, parents in Ireland are lucky that there are so many companies and programmes stepping up to help make things a bit easier for mums, dads, and carers. There are also services for bereaved … Continue reading The Best Irish Companies, People or Programmes for Parents Part 1: Names Beginning With A-C
Tinap Green: Empowering Youth and Communities Through Creativity, Upcycling, and SustainabilityAuto Draft
Tinap Green is a social enterprise that is dedicated to transforming waste into opportunity while empowering the next generation. Inspired by the Creole word “Tinap,” which signifies resilience and strength in the face of adversity, the company exists to create “a greener, better world through collaboration and purposeful design.” Tinap Green supports young people aged 16–30 with … Continue reading Tinap Green: Empowering Youth and Communities Through Creativity, Upcycling, and SustainabilityAuto Draft
Rathmines College of Further Education – An Online Evening Course for People With Disabilities Looking for Employment
I am delighted to announce that my Embracing Workplace Inclusion course in Rathmines College of Further Education is back for a second year. The course aims to equip people with disabilities with the skills that they need to find a job. Advocates for people with disability can also join the course. We had a great … Continue reading Rathmines College of Further Education – An Online Evening Course for People With Disabilities Looking for Employment
Maezza Romero: Shaping Safe, Inclusive Spaces in Gaming—From Cyber Squad to Romero Games Community”
Maezza Romero gaming career began in childhood and has since evolved into a full-fledged career. From impoving her reading skills through video games, to creating inclusive online spaces, to championing representation in an industry that hasn’t always welcomed underrepresented voices, maezza proves that diverse voices are always needed. Through projects like Cyber Squad, managing communities at scale, … Continue reading Maezza Romero: Shaping Safe, Inclusive Spaces in Gaming—From Cyber Squad to Romero Games Community”
The Allyship Academy: Why being an Ally in the Workplace is more important than ever before
The Allyship Academy (TAA) was founded by Mark Fenton and Patricia Byron, driven by their shared passion for advancing inclusion and supporting women and other marginalised groups. Both bring decades of experience as DEI specialists, leadership experts, and executive coaches, having witnessed first-hand the gap between organisational policies and the genuine behaviours needed to foster … Continue reading The Allyship Academy: Why being an Ally in the Workplace is more important than ever before
From Small-Town Indiana to Global Leadership Communications: How Story Telling has Shaped Gina London’s Journey to Empower Authentic Storytelling in Business
Starting her journey in a small town in Indiana with a passion for storytelling, Gina forged a successful career in journalism that spanned major news organisations like CNN and impactful international volunteer-led work. Her deep understanding of narrative and communication eventually led her to found Language of Leadership, where she combines her media expertise with … Continue reading From Small-Town Indiana to Global Leadership Communications: How Story Telling has Shaped Gina London’s Journey to Empower Authentic Storytelling in Business
Meg O’Connell and her US based Global Disability Inclusion team is Championing Disability Inclusion Amidst DEI Funding Challenges
Meg O’Connell’s journey from her early work with the deaf community in St. Augustine, Florida to founding and leading Global Disability Inclusion (GDI) as CEO is truly remarkable. Meg and her team has been instrumental in driving meaningful change for disabled people in the corporate world, addressing long-standing gaps in workplace integration. One of their … Continue reading Meg O’Connell and her US based Global Disability Inclusion team is Championing Disability Inclusion Amidst DEI Funding Challenges
Intersport Elverys: Blending 175 years of Tradition and Innovation to Champion Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Sports Retail Market
Intersport Elverys, is one of Ireland’s oldest sports retailers. It was founded in 1847 and it has grown from a single shop into a national brand with 44 stores and around 750 employees, maintaining a strong family-owned ethos and deep commitment to supporting Irish sport at all levels. The company’s robust Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion … Continue reading Intersport Elverys: Blending 175 years of Tradition and Innovation to Champion Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Sports Retail Market
Bill Liao’s Journey from Self-Taught Engineer to Successful Entrepreneur and Global Changemaker who Drives Diversity in EdTech and the Environment
Serial entrepreneur Bill Liao began his journey as a self-taught hardware engineer in Melbourne, fixing computers while he and his wife worked dead-end jobs. A transformative personal development course and his wife’s involvement with the Hunger Project inspired a leap of faith: Bill left his job, moved into sales, and ultimately built two highly successful … Continue reading Bill Liao’s Journey from Self-Taught Engineer to Successful Entrepreneur and Global Changemaker who Drives Diversity in EdTech and the Environment
Gewardz Health: Making Affordable Healthcare Accessible for Every Irish SME and Community
Gewardz Health is based in Banbridge Co.Down and is a healthcare solutions provider established in 2019, originally focused on delivering enterprise-quality reward and retention programs to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) traditionally underserved by mainstream providers. In response to client needs for affordable and accessible healthcare, Gewardz Health evolved in late 2022 to develop a … Continue reading Gewardz Health: Making Affordable Healthcare Accessible for Every Irish SME and Community
Networking Events
I have extensive experience co-hosting a variety of online and in-person events with respected organisations, with a particular focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). My recent work includes co-hosting panel discussions and innovative accessibility pilots for International People’s With Disabilities Day in partnership with CPL, convening high-level networking events such as the CAN Network … Continue reading Networking Events
Platform55: Revolutionising Support for Parents in the Workplace
Platform55 was co-founded out of a shared conviction that the existing workplace wasn’t working for working parents—or for countless others. Drawing on their personal journeys, Tracy Gunn (with a background in leadership development) and Michelle O'Keefe (from digital media) experienced firsthand the disconnect between workplace policy and reality, as well as the challenges of balancing … Continue reading Platform55: Revolutionising Support for Parents in the Workplace
Guest Speaking
Having been involved with DEI for more than 8 years and in that time I have been invited to be a guest speaker at a number of events. These include local, national or international events. I have been ask to present slides on a particular topic in DEI, been asked to be on a panel … Continue reading Guest Speaking
Job Coaching Programme
This course was developed through Rathmines College of Further Education Evening Courses. A nominal fee does apply It is also available through a personal 1:1 job coaching sessions or as part of Towards Work Job Coaching programme. The course itself explores areas such as: - How unconscious bias can get in the way of your … Continue reading Job Coaching Programme
Unconcious Bias Training
Throughout my time in Dell Technologies, Bank of Ireland and other organisations that are committed to empowering their workforce I have completed several Unconcious Bias training sessions. I have now developed my own training that explores: – Understanding Unconscious Bias – What are microaggressions – It’s impact on recruitment processes – Self-Assessment and awareness of … Continue reading Unconcious Bias Training
DEI in the Irish Education System
Having achieved 180 Leaving Certificate points and spent seven years in higher education, progressing from Level 5 to Level 9, I am acutely aware of the transformative power of education, as well as the gaps through which under-represented groups can fall during this journey. I have developed training programmes for higher education institutions that examines … Continue reading DEI in the Irish Education System
Neurodiversity Awareness Training – 5 Things Employers Should Know About Neurodiversity
I have developed a comprehensive training programme that explores the 5 areas that employers should know about Neurodiversity. The training explores: – Personal insights from both my own lived experience with neurodiverse and the experiences of those that I have previously been a job coach to. – An overview of the different conditions within the … Continue reading Neurodiversity Awareness Training – 5 Things Employers Should Know About Neurodiversity
Antonio Vega: Ex-Google, PHd Candidate Who is on a Mission to Make the Workplace Inclusive for All
With a background in mechatronics engineering and an MBA that broadened their perspective on business and leadership, the founder of Includership spent nearly nine years at Google in a variety of roles, including significant work in Diversity and Inclusion. This experience in a large, global company highlighted both the strategic importance and everyday challenges of … Continue reading Antonio Vega: Ex-Google, PHd Candidate Who is on a Mission to Make the Workplace Inclusive for All
PayGap.ie: The Award Winning Independent Platform Holding Companies in Ireland Accountable for their Gender Pay Reporting
Jen Keane is the founder PayGap.ie. Jen launched the site because of the lack of accessible, standardised gender pay gap data in Ireland. Drawing from her own challenges as a woman in tech, she built PayGap.ie as a central resource for collecting and publishing company pay gap reports. Her journey highlights the difficulties of gathering … Continue reading PayGap.ie: The Award Winning Independent Platform Holding Companies in Ireland Accountable for their Gender Pay Reporting
Your A-Z Guide To Creating Engaging DEI Content
I was lucky enough to attend and speak at both Samantha Kelly’s Social Media Fest at Maldron Hotel, Dublin Airport and Tenna Clark’s The Big Marketing Meet Up at the ICC Belfast. Both were fantastic events with lots of networking and more importantly takeaways to go back and work on. With guest speakers such as David … Continue reading Your A-Z Guide To Creating Engaging DEI Content
Business in the Community Ireland: working annually with over 500 people from marginalised communities towards employment
Business in the Community Ireland (BITCI) is at the forefront of driving positive change in Irish society, championing sustainability and social inclusion for over 25 years. As a leading advisor to businesses and communities, BITCI’s vision is to inspire a movement that addresses some of the most urgent challenges of our time—climate change and social … Continue reading Business in the Community Ireland: working annually with over 500 people from marginalised communities towards employment