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If you’re living with a disability in Ireland, everyday practices like getting around can be made hazardous by signs, vehicles and other objects blocking your way on footpaths.
The Disability Federation of Ireland have started this campaign for greater on-street access for people with disabilities to prevent moments like these.
Thirteen of the country’s leading disability organisations have come together to call for an All-Ireland #MakeWayDay.
On one day a year they’d like the people of Ireland to pause and think of people with disabilities in the public spaces we all share.
Those organisations – including Arthritis Ireland, Fighting Blindness, ChildVision and the Irish Wheelchair Association – believe thoughtlessness and genuine lack of awareness is behind most instances like those seen in the video above.
Disability campaigner Barry O’Donnell speaks about the hazards he faces on a daily basis.
“As a person who is blind, I am no stranger to walking into cars and indeed vans blocking footpaths,” he says.
“A quiet word with neighbours has worked wonders but I never know when I will walk into a car injuring my head, knee or shins.
“For wheelchair users, the elderly, parents with buggies and children, having to navigate around a car/van blocking the footpath unnecessarily puts them on the road where there would be a blind spot to road users putting pedestrians in danger.
“Navigating cars and obstacles has caused me to lose my orientation and to end up in the middle of busy roads.”
These are the most frequent barriers faced by those living with disabilities in Ireland…
- Cars parked on footpaths (25%)
- Sandwich boards/signs on the footpath (18%)
- Bikes/mopeds & motorbikes tied to lampposts/railings (16%)
- Wheelie bins on footpaths (14%)
- Overgrown hedges/Greenery/Floral arrangements (10%)
- Others (17%)
“We’re actively promoting a petition on change.org to be delivered to Minister Finian McGrath and the Government asking them to agree to establishing a designated #makewayday,” says Laura English from the Disability Federation of Ireland.
Laura and her colleagues were out ‘sticker bombing’ with activists earlier this week in the hope of raising awareness about these on-street hazards among the general public.
“The Lord Mayor of Limerick has kick started things by getting in touch to say he’s in favour of a #MakeWayLimerick and we’ve contacted all other local Councillors to do the same.”
In order to turn #MakeWayDay into a reality, sign the petition here.
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