Difficulties facing wheelchair users highlighted at Irish Wheelchair Association event in Mayo

The Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) highlighted the difficulties wheelchair users face to Mayo TD Minister Dara Calleary was present at their ‘Access: It’s No Joke’ event in Belmullet. 

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Throughout the event, many groups from Belmullet and the surrounding areas voiced their issues on the subject with Minister Calleary.

Among those who spoke were Sarah Paradise from the Western Care Association, who talked about the lack of accessible footpaths, and Eva Lynsey from Belmullet Autism Friendly Town, who discussed barriers to employment for those with disabilities.

The IWA’s National Access Programme Manager, Rosaleen Lally, was forthright in listing just a fraction of the issues those in wheelchairs face in public.

“Families with people with disabilities have to pre-plan their journeys well in advance as there are so many barriers in society preventing people with disabilities from living independently,” Ms Lally, a former Sinn Féin local election candidate, stated.

“For example, a huge effort has been put into making the buses that service Belmullet accessible, but the bus stops themselves are not accessible, leaving IWA members with no other option but to rely on IWA’s accessible bus to get them around.”

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