The Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association (IMNDA) is delighted to host a lunch-time webinar for Health Care Professionals with Enable Ireland, featuring the Smart Home Gateway project & Virtual Services Digital Hub on Wednesday 28th October 2026 - 1pm to 2pm.This Webinar is designed for Healthcare Professionals only, to enhance your knowledge of AA Communication Devices as well as informing you of IMNDA updates.
Paula McNally–Krenn is the Information, Support and Equipment Supervisor with the IMNDA and will be hosting the webinar along with her colleagues; Johanna McGrath Information Support & Equipment Officer and Lorraine Carroll, Information, Support & Equipment Coordinator. They will deliver the most recent updates pertaining to their department within the IMNDA, which will be a useful resource to you with the MND Community. They will be joined by Enable Ireland experts:
Sean Hall works in Enable Ireland's Adult Service as National Virtual Service Technical Support; the National Virtual Service is Enable Ireland's digital services.
Sean will be presenting on the Smart Home Gateway Project, an initiative that has been running for the past five years, exploring how affordable, off-the-shelf smart home technology can promote greater independence for people with disabilities.
The presentation will highlight how a relatively small investment has made a meaningful difference, helping service owners gain confidence with smart home technology, demystifying its use and demonstrating how simple, accessible solutions can support greater independence in everyday life.
Padhraic Dormer is a Virtual Support Worker, disability rights advocate, and passionate champion of assistive technology. Living with cerebral palsy, he uses his lived experience to promote accessibility, inclusion, and the belief that access is a fundamental human right.
Padhraic is a leading advocate for assistive technology and smart home ecosystems, demonstrating how technology can empower people with disabilities to live more independently, safely, and confidently. He has presented on assistive technology at national and international events, including the AAATE Conference in Italy, and regularly facilitates discussions on access, rights, and innovation through Enable Ireland's Virtual Service.
With extensive experience delivering disability equality training to organisations including Microsoft, Mastercard, and Enable Ireland, Padhraic has also contributed to accessibility initiatives, universal design projects, and national advocacy groups. His work focuses on ensuring that technology, services, and environments are designed to be accessible to everyone, regardless of age or ability.
Outside of his advocacy work, Padhraic is an accomplished Boccia player who has represented Ireland internationally and is a self-described thrill seeker, having completed multiple parachute jumps and other adventurous challenges in support of charitable causes.
Val Whelan is a Virtual Support Worker with Enable Ireland and a passionate advocate for assistive technology, accessibility, and independent living. Having discovered the life-changing benefits of assistive technology through her own journey, Val has become a leading voice in promoting how technology and smart home ecosystems can empower people with disabilities to live with greater confidence, choice, and independence.
Val's personal mission is to demystify assistive technology, particularly for older adults who may feel intimidated by technology. Through presentations, training, and advocacy, she encourages people to embrace technology without fear, highlighting that learning is often a process of trial and error. Her campaign hashtag, #NotBadForAWomanOf50s, reflects her commitment to breaking down age-related barriers and proving that technology is for everyone.
Val has represented Enable Ireland on national and international stages, including speaking at the launch of Ireland's Assistive Technology Capacity Assessment in front of Government Ministers, the World Health Organisation, and the media. She regularly showcases how smart home technology, including voice-controlled systems for lighting, heating, curtains, and entertainment, can transform daily life and increase independence.
Today, Val completed the foundations in assistive technology training program in 2024 and uses her knowledge and lived experience to support others in exploring assistive technology, advocating for greater access, awareness, and innovation so that more people can benefit from the possibilities technology offers.
For more information on this webinar, please email: services@imnda.ie
