Top European role for campaigner Pat Clarke
DROGHEDA man Pat Clarke has been elected as Vice President of the European Disability Forum at its AGM.
The European Disability Forum (EDF)is a pan European, pan disability organisation that represents over 80 million people across Europe in their interaction with the European Parliament and Commission. EDF will celebrate its twentieth anniversary in 2017
Pat recently retired as Chief Executive of Down Syndrome Ireland after seven years in the position.
He led the organisation through the financial crisis and the scandals that rocked the charity sector in recent years. He was involved with Down Syndrome Ireland for 29 years as a volunteer prior to taking up the post and now enters a new period in his life.
He has seen much changes in attitudes to people with Down Syndrome over that period with greater inclusion in education and employment but accepts that much more needs to be done.
His new role, a first for an Irish person, will greater engagements with the European Parliament in Brussels and Strasburg as well as the Council of Europe and its committees based in Strasburg.
‘It a great honour to be elected to this position and I am grateful for the confidence that the members of EDF have placed in me. I look forward to working with the Disability Federation of Ireland in my new role,’ he stated.