Pat Clarke has been involved in disability issues for almost 30 years since the birth of his son David.
In Ireland Pat Clarke was the leading influence by way of research and example which led to a change in national legislation, giving rights and resources to children with Down syndrome in the area of mainstream education.
He fostered and promoted medical research in conjunction with The National Children’s Hospital, Ireland in collaboration with the Department of Pediatrics, University of Dublin, Trinity College, which led to the development and publication of consensus medical management guidelines for children and adolescents with Down syndrome in Ireland. These are now internationally accepted. This research is now being extended to adults with Down syndrome. Currently he is actively promoting Independent and Community Living for people with Down syndrome.
Pat has served in many positions with Down Syndrome Ireland, in particular 2 terms as President. In 1997 he was elected to the Board of the European Down Syndrome Association (EDSA) and became Treasurer in 2000. In 1999 he was co-opted to the Board of Down Syndrome International (DSi) and was elected Treasurer. In 2004 he was elected to the Board of the European Disability Forum (EDF), a pan European and pan disability organisation being the interface between all people with disability and the European Union, and in 2005 he was appointed to the Executive Board. He has also served on a European task force on community living which drafted resolutions that were passed by the Council of Europe. He now serves on the Expert Advisory Board of the European Coalition on Community Living (ECCL) and in 2007 was appointed Chair of the Youth Committee of EDF. In 2009 he was appointed to a Council of Europe Expert Committee on the involvement of people with disability in political and public life.
Pat is currently the Chief Executive of Down Syndrome Ireland and was recently Chair of the 10th World Down Syndrome Congress, held in Dublin in August 2009.
In 2009 he became President of Down Syndrome International.
