News

Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland has published its Pre-Budget Submission 2027, calling on Government to establish a dedicated School Support Dog Grant Scheme to support the placement of highly trained School Support Dogs in schools across Ireland.

A proud moment for AADI as President of Ireland Catherine Connolly accepts our invitation to become Patron, recognising 15 years of supporting autistic children, families and school communities across Ireland.

The new guidebook sets out the full framework behind AADI’s School Support Dog Programme, which places highly trained dogs in primary and post-primary schools to support wellbeing, inclusion, emotional regulation and access to learning for neurodivergent students.

Each assistance dog costs €25,000 to train, and AADI never charges families – believing every child should have access to support, regardless of their means.

Suddenly, with Quest anchoring him, family outings became possible. Within just two weeks, we managed a weekend away to Aillwee Caves — something we would have considered impossible before. Senan’s communication improved as well. New words started to emerge, linked directly to his interactions with Quest