About
A Short History of the An Saol Foundation
What is a severe Acquired Brain Injury (in the context of the An Saol Foundation Services)
We define a severe Acquired Brain Injury (sABI) as a brain injury that involves a long period of unconsciousness (coma) and a prolonged, but not necessarily permanent, disorder of consciousness (PDOC). Persons with a sABI are very highly dependent, are often non- or minimally-verbal, and generally require life-long support with basic activities of daily living (ADL) as well as life-long rehabilitation and habilitation.
While classical, text book definitions of a severe brain injury focus on the person’s condition around the time of the event, we focus on the long-term impact of a sABI on our clients’ life. Our perspective is human-rights based and follows the latest research.
New approaches to Rehabilitation – Bringing Fun and Gaming into Life and Living with a severe Acquired Brain Injury (sABI). Collaboration between Byowave, developers of the accessible Proteus Controller, UCD’s SMART Lab and the An Saol Foundation. Watch the Launch Video here.
Teach An Saol Proposal
Teach An Saol is a development by the An Saol Foundation first proposed to the HSE in June 2023.
Teach An Saol, The An Saol Foundation’s National Centre for Life and Living with a severe Acquired Brain Injury, with Social, Therapy, Respite and Transitional Living Hubs, as well as nationwide Satellite Centres, is a development in response to the request of the HSE Clinical Lead for Disability and the 2023 HSE Review and Recommendations of the international expert panel.
Review and Recommendations for the An Saol Service (February 2023)
Author: Mac MacLachlan, Clinical Lead for Disability, National Clinical Programme for People with Disability (NCPPD), Health Service Executive (HSE)
The Report and Recommendations, as well as the Teach An Saol Proposal were made public in a Press Release by the An Saol Foundation with quotes by the Foundation’s CEO, Reinhard Schaler, and the Minister of State at the Department of Health and at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Anne Rabbitte.
Press Release
It was presented at a Teach An Saol Working Group Meeting in the June 2023, organised by the Minister for Disability, Anne Rabbitte, at the An Saol Foundation in Santry, Dublin, and widely supported at that meeting. The meeting was attended by the Minister and her aides, local and national HSE representatives, a Senator and a TD, as well as by representatives of the An Saol Foundation.
Members of the Working Group
The proposal was prepared with the assistance of and with input from the Teach An Saol Planning Group. The initial planning group was significantly expanded in early 2024.
Members of the Planning Group
Events & Updates
03 April 2024 Concert
More than 230 supporters enjoyed a practically sold out concert by Honor Heffernan in the National Concert Hall, John Field Room, in support of Teach An Saol.
10 April 2024 Briefings (Press and Oireachtas)
On 10 April 2024, the An Saol Foundation organised a press briefing and an information session for the Houses of the Oireachtas, presenting Teach An Saol and launched “We Would Rather Live. Life and Living with a severe Acquired Brain Injury (sABI) – DocuVideo Testimonials”, a DocuVideo Series with testimonials from clients attending the An Saol Centre in Santry, Dublin.
Diary Note, Press Release and Invitation to the Press Briefing in Buswells Hotel, 13:15, and the Briefing to the Houses of the Oireachtas in the AV Room of Leinster House, 15:00.
Dublin Live live report recording from the An Saol Foundation briefing in Buswells Hotel on 10 April 2024 before they go into Leinster House to brief members of the Oireachtas about their progress so far and plans for building Teach An Saol.
We Would Rather Live. Life and Living with a severe Acquired Brain Injury (sABI) – DocuVideo Testimonials
11 April 2024: Senator Mary Fitzgerald asks the Minister for Health to support Teach An Saol.
14 April 2024: Last One On The Train
A series broadcast on RTÉ Radio One that tells the personal stories and day-to-day experience of 6 young wheelchair users in Ireland and captures the humour, the personalities and the colour of the lives of the people who feature, none of whom set out to become disability advocates but had no choice.
Click here to listen back to Pádraig’s story.
18 April 2024: Deputy Paul McAuliffe raises Teach An Saol in the Public Accounts Committee of the Dáil
09/09/2024
Pre-Planning Meeting with Dublin City Council
02/10/2024
Presentation to the
Joint Committee on Disability Matters
Habilitation and Rehabilitation – UNCRPD Article 26
Opening Statement by Reinhard Schaler, CEO
Testimony by Joe Grogan, Board Member
Testimony by Odhrán Ó hUallacháin, Senior Physiotherapist and Interim Clinical Lead
08/10/2024
Odhrán Ó hUallacháin, Senior Physiotherapist and Interim Clinical Lead is interviewed on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.
Tá fondúireacht “An Saol” a chuireann cúnamh agus cabhair ar fáil do dhaoine a fhulaingíonn de bharr drochghortú inchinne ag iarradh ar an Rialtas agus an tAire Sláinte maoiniú ceart a chur ar fáil den eagraíocht.
The “An Saol” Foundation which provides help and assistance to people who suffer from a serious brain injury is asking the Government and the Minister of Health to provide proper funding for the organisation.
18/10/2024
An fisiteiripeoir sinsireach Odhrán Ó hUallacháin ag caint linn faoi ‘Teach an Saol’.
Senior Physiotherapist Odhrán Ó hUallacháin talking to us about ‘The House of Life’, Teach An Saol.
05/11/2024
Click here to listen back.
George Mulcahy of Near 90.3fm radio is joined by Reinhard Schaler, CEO and Founder of the An Saol Foundation. They chat about the history of the organisation as well as chatting about supports they offer.
07/05/2025
Commencement Matter in Seanad Éireann by Senator McCarthy
Click here to read the transcript and here to watch the Oireachtas Commencement Matter video recording of 07 May 2025.
Pádraig Schaler in Seanad Éireann with (left to right) Senator Aubrey McCarthy, Minister Niamh Smyth, Senator Mary Fitzpatrick, Reinhard Schaler, and Pat O’Byrne.
16/05/2025
Topical Question asked by Deputy Dessie Ellis, T.D., to the Minister of Disability, Hildegarde Naughton, T.D.
Dáil Éireann, 16 May 2025
Click here to read the transcript and here to watch the Topical Question being asked by Deputy Ellis together with the response by Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, Timmy Dooley. Video recording of 16 May 2025.
An Saol clients and staff were watching the proceedings live on Oireachtas TV.
17/06/2025
No Time To Waste – An Saol Foundation on RTÉ Primetime
The An Saol Foundation is stepping in to fill the gap in services provided by the State. The Foundation plans to open a larger facility in Ballymun, including step-down accommodation that could help people avoid nursing homes.
Dublin City Council has made a site available, but Reinhard Schäler says the project is now mired in HSE bureaucracy. “A year and a half ago, we were nearly there” he says. “Then everything stopped.”
Reinhard says he is now filling in a new set of forms “for the same purpose” as forms he filled in previously. “It’s very hard to understand, and it’s very frustrating,” he said, noting that the HSE is in full support of the proposed project and has highly evaluated the current An Saol service.
He says that there is no time to waste.
“We have an urgency here. We have the people here who need this now, not in five years or 10 years.”
Click here to watch the video. An Saol report starts at 7:22
18/06/2025
Paul McAuliffe questions HSE about support for Teach An Saol
Oireachtas Joint Committee on Disability
Paul McAuliffe of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Disability questions the HSE about their support for the An Saol Foundation’s Teach An Saol Project. Bernard Gloster, CEO, compliments the An Saol Foundation on their excellent work and says that he would be more than happy to meet with them to advance the Teach An Saol project.
Click here to watch the video.
Support
If you would like to support Teach An Saol by making your expertise available to the project or by another donation of any kind, please contact admin@ansaol.ie or call +353 (0)1 8622 716.
An Saol Foundation
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