Access to Heritage Conference The above conference was held at the Presidents’ Hall, Law Society, Blackhall Place, Dublin 7 on the 30th of May 2012. The first session was chaired by Martin Colreavy, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. This session started at 9.00am with opening address by Jimmy Deeniham TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. He believes in making heritage buildings and places accessible for all. Mr Deeniham said he is ready to sit down and discuss with different groups and organizations on ways to achieve this. He pledged to do his best and use his office to facilitate access to heritage places and buildings for people with all types of disabilities. The director for National Disability Authority Siobhan Barron addressed the audience. She stated that NDA is an independent statutory body established 12years ago for information and advice to government on practices and policies that impact on the lives of people with disabilities. Also to build good environment, transport, healthcare, employment and other health issues. Furthermore, to see how environment, services, information, communication technologies can be accessible to all. Ms Barron said about 750,000 people in Ireland have some form of disability and there is an increase in negative attitude towards them. She mentioned that the role of universal design is important in helping to see how much can be achieved for people of all ages and sizes. Also, compliance with the code of practice ensures compliance with the disability act. With code of practice we’ll be conducting some kind of monitoring exercise and it’s all about getting and finding the right balance between promoting the integrity of heritage sites/facilities. Access guide and codes includes universal building plan, operation of heritage facility, good signage, use of plan english, text and websites can improve access, smartphone, GPS, training staff to understand limitations and engaging in sensitive issues. Seven video clips of people with different types of disabilities sharing their good and bad experiences in accessing heritage buildings and sites were shown. They were Tom Chambers, Caroline Carswell, Tom O’Neil, Donal Toolan, Shane Keogh, Louise Milicevic and Paul Hogan. Tom Chambers, Access Campaigner, narrated his holiday experiences at Prague because some of the historic places and heritage buildings were not accessible. His eyes only looked at the buildings but his legs couldn’t take him inside the buildings to really see and appreciate these places. Mr Chambers only relied on his camera to see some of these places. It was one of those moments that he will pause and think about his disability and life in wheelchair for three decades. He further highlighted the need for access to all and for the government to listen and work with them as experts of their own disabilities. Finally, he shared his experience with the staff of a museum in Ireland who opened the emergency fire exit and closed it quickly but it was not accessible and the historic building beside it was not accessible either because of the gravels on the pathway. Mr Chambers who loves visiting historic places and heritage buildings will like to see so many of them accessible for all in order to boost tourism and revenue to the state. In over 30 years of dealing with accessibility I never came across an access problem that could not be solved but I have come across many problems that were not allowed to be solved, he said. Tom Chambers Access Campaigner Knocknageeha Newport Co. Mayo