Right: Robyn O’Shea with Dr Philip Dodd, Director of Research St Michael’s House and Professor Tony Holland, Chair of Learning Disabilities, University of Cambridge.

The Partnership was announced by John Moloney, Minister for State with responsibility for Equality, Disability and Mental Health. It aims to enhance and facilitate service based research in disabilities and to support the research and teaching strategies of the two participating organizations.

This is the first time in Ireland that a service provider and a university have formally agreed to jointly undertake research on an ongoing basis. This development will not only be of immense benefit to both organizations, it will also provide significant leadership for other organizations interested in the improvement of services to people with a disability and their families.

The Partnership was commended by Prof Tony Holland, Chair of Learning Disabilities, University of Cambridge.

“The complexity of intellectual disability requires the integration of many different disciplines and a partnership approach, such as this unique partnership between St Michael’s House and UCD, to enhance the rights, independence, choices and inclusion of people with an intellectual disability.”

The Partnership will facilitate both organizations to share and exchange resources. Dr Philip Dodd, Director of Research St. Michael's House, will be based part-time at the University where he will support teaching programmes and research activity. Dr Suzanne Guerin, Director of the Centre for Disability Studies at UCD, will similarly be based part-time at St. Michael's House Headquarters supporting service based research.

The development of the Partnership will be cost neutral with each agency using resources already allocated to research.