Self-Employment for Persons with Disabilities

Who gets to build? Too long, disabled entrepreneurs faced systems not designed for them. Today, we begin to change that together.
About this Event

Self-Employment for Persons with Disabilities

This landmark all-island conference brings together disabled entrepreneurs, policymakers, international experts, and support organisations to share lived experience, challenge systemic barriers, and forge a collective vision for a future where self-employment is a genuine and supported pathway for every person with a disability across Ireland and Northern Ireland.

This conference will also be streamed online. The link to view the conference online is https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/399219754884166?p=H7NXvSWW7olYFaXYP9 (Meeting ID: 399 219 754 884 166; Passcode: 4cp7n8Vt).

MCs: Breandan Ward and Prof Tom Cooney

09:00–09:15 | Arrival & Accessible Registration

• Networking tea/coffee

09:15–09.45 | Welcome

• Dr Deirdre Lillis (President of TU Dublin)
• Victoria MacKechnie (Director Corporate Affairs & Operations, Workday – event sponsor)

9:45–11:00 | Keynote Session: Learning from Other Countries

Keynote Speakers:

· Gemma Johnson (LILAC Centre Lead at Small Business Britain)

· Thorsten Mayer (Association of Entrepreneurs with Disabilities, Austria)

11:00–11:30 | Break

11:30–12:30 | Panel 1: Lived Experience & Entrepreneurial Reality

Disabled entrepreneurs (Ireland & Northern Ireland):

· Eddie Hennessy (advocate, former entrepreneur)

· Paula Clarke (artist, broadcaster, NI)

· Emilie Conway (advocate, jazz vocalist)

· Gareth McCay (Managing Director at McCay Legal, NI)

12:30–13:30 | Lunch & Networking

13:30–14:30 | Panel 2: Systems, Supports & Institutions

Panellists:

• George Healy (Programme Lead, NI Enterprise Support Service, Belfast City Council)
• Marty McLoughlin (Employment & Skills Services Manager, Disability Action, NI)
• Olivia Ketterick (Enterprise and Social Enterprise Office, South-West Mayo Development Company)
• Padraig Mallon (CEO, Crann Centre)

14:30–14:45 | Break

14:45–15:45 | Panel 3: Policy Futures – An All-Island Perspective

Participants:

• Caoimhe Archibald (MLA, Economy Minister, NI)
• TBC

15:45–16:30 | Keynote Speaker: Failing to Succeed

· Jason Romero (USA; Author | 3,063-mile LA-to-NYC run | 10+ World Records | Team USA | Blind | Documentary | CEO & Attorney | 20+ 100-mile runs)

16:30–16:45 | Synthesis & Close

• Rapporteur-led summary
• Key policy insights
• Commitments and next steps