Main St. Castlebar

Mr. Seamus Granaghan
Director of Services
Árás an Chontae
Castlebar
Co. Mayo
17th November 2009

Re: Street Improvements to the Streets in Castlebar, Co. Mayo
I would like to stress how important it is that the disabled be kept informed and consulted in relation to all works affecting us. Our motto is “Nothing about us, without us!”
I welcome this public submission process and I would like to make the following points in relation to the project. Ensure all developments take into account all potential users including youths, schoolchildren, working people, families, elderly people and disabled people
Designated Parking Bays
A Designated Parking Bay should be located as near as possible to the Chemists on Main Street to facilitate people with disabilities especially wheelchair users if they wish to get their prescriptions. The bays can be installed when the path is widened (as we discussed). They can be arranged parallel to the dished kerb flush with the road so that wheelchair driver can transfer onto footpath from his/her car. Provide minimum 900mm clear space beside the designated bay so as to facilitate wheelchair transfer from car to footpath. Cars can be driven forward or reversed into the bay, so that the transfer space is at the right side. Provide a 900mm yellow box at back of Designated Bay painted with BLUE paint with a sign 2200mm high from ground level.

Designated Parking Bays should be firm, level and even. A 1.50 maximum gradient is acceptable where essential to remove surface water. An uneven surface or an inclined bay makes transfer from vehicle to wheelchair very difficult. Service covers to manholes should not be positioned on such bays and at dished crossings.
Bollards and Grills
Bollards are often used to stop vehicles mounting the footpaths. Unless positioned carefully they can form a barrier to wheelchair users and people with visual impairments. They should be identified by using contrasting colours, and be minimum 800mm high and 250mm wide and should be located no closer together than 900mm. Bollards should never be linked by ropes or chains. This is dangerous for people with impaired vision.
Grills should have a maximum gap of 12mm and are perpendicular to direction of pedestrian traffic. Kerb edges should be clearly defined, if necessary guardrails should be provided.
Lighting
Street lighting should be designed so as to avoid glare from surface. A good level of lighting should be provided at locations where changes of level and direction occur. Lampposts should be located in a consistent manner and should not impede circulation paths. They must be in a contrasting colour to their background.
Crossings:
Avoid covers or manholes at crossings. Dished kerbs to be 1200mm wide with maximum gradient of 1:20. Provide appropriate crossings with dished kerbs marked with tactile paving. The upstand between the dropped kerb and the road is an important issue for wheelchairs users. Even relatively small upstands can cause the front wheels of wheelchairs to turn and present users with difficulties. Ideally the road surface should be level with the kerb at the dished crossing but the maximum upstand should be 6mm.
Trees
Avoid planting which exacerbates asthma and other breathing difficulties. Scent even in trees is rarely evident except on warm days in the growing season. Trees can be used to provide shelter for visually impaired people to locate themselves in a space. Planting in public places should be carried out by people with proper training and knowledge. Insure that trees are located properly and that the lowest branches do not pose a problem to tall people. A tree that is encroaching onto the footpath may not always be detected by a person’s guide dog, and cannot be detected by a white cane.

Containers should be totally accessible so that people with mobility problems do not have to leave their rubbish outside the container.

In addition to the above, it should also be remembered that there are elements in the public streets and sidewalks which are privately owned – such as café terraces, shop awnings and doors to buildings – and therefore

Could you provide a Luminance or tactile strip preferably located in the centre of paths for visually impaired people?


Regards,

……………….
Tom Chambers

Dear Kevin,

Some observations made to proposed plans for Peter Street Ballina

Seating

Seating should be located in sheltered areas where people can have a good view. A 900mm square of firm paving beside a seat will allow a person in a wheelchair to sit with other people. A seat should be no less than 450mm high, although a perch 500-750mm will be easier to use for people with restricted power. I would recommend seats with backrests as they are useful for additional support, and arm rests are also recommended to lean against, as well as assisting in getting up and out of the seat.

Designated Parking Bays

A designated Parking Bay SHOULD is located as near as possible to Quinns Chemist and Dr. Acupuncture to facilitate people with disabilities especially wheelchair users if they wish to get their prescriptions or wish to visit the Dr. Perpendicular bays can be installed when the path is widened (as we discussed). Provide minimum 900mm clear space beside the designated bay so as to facilitate wheelchair transfer from car to footpath. Cars can be driven forward or reversed into the bay, so that the transfer space is at the right side. Provide a 900mm yellow box at back of bay and designated bay painted with BLUE paint with a sign 2200mm high from ground level.

Bollards and Grills

Bollards are often used to stop vehicles mounting the footpaths. Unless positioned carefully they can form a barrier to wheelchair users and people with visual impairments. They should be identified by using contrasting colours, and be minimum 800mm high and 200mm wide.
Grills should have a maximum gap- of 12mm and are perpendicular to direction of pedestrian traffic.

Bicycle Ranks.

Bicycle Ranks should be identified by using contrasting colours and protected from the glare of the sun.


Trees

Avoid planting which exacerbates asthma and other breathing difficulties. Scent even in trees is rarely evident except on warm days in the growing season. Trees can be used to provide shelter for visually impaired people to locate themselves in a space. Planting in public places should be carried out by people with proper training and knowledge.


If the work is carried out accordance with NDA “Building for Everyone” and their approaches to meet the needs of disabled people’.



Footpaths

Could you provide a Luminance or tactile strip preferably located in the centre of paths for visually impaired people?

(“Nothing about Us without Us”)

Regards,

Tom

Footpath in Mulranny

Cllr. Michael Holmes
Newfield
Westport
Co. Mayo


Date: 3rd March 2010


Dear Michael,

I have recently looked at the new footpath in Mulranny village. I feel that there is a need for tactile paving at both ends of the footpath to indicate a change of surface level for people with visual impairments.

I feel that had the installment of the new footpath been brought to my attention along with other issues, the most vulnerable in society would not be forgotten.

I would like arrange to meet with you to discuss this and other topics that have been brought to my attention.






Yours truly,


………….........
Tom Chambers

Street in Westport

I spotted this 'obstacle' the other day up at the Octagon. A person in a wheelchair has no chance of getting around this, and the problem is further compounded by the 'over-hanging' parked car! The purpose of a footpath is for safe pedestrian movement - not an extension of a public house. This seating will have to be moved, and as this is not an isolated example, the on-going problem of over-hanging parked cars will have to be addressed going forward. This type of access problem is also a concern for the elderly, people with pushchairs, and the visually impaired.

Rgds.,

Cllr. Dave Keating
086 303 4074

Accessible phone booth in Westport, Mayo

8th October 2009

Dear Editor,



I am writing to you to draw your attention to the Tourist Information Kiosk at Westport Quay.



The idea of an out-of-hours facility for visitors is a fantastic one which ensures that Westport does not miss out on potential tourism and makes staying in Westport easier than ever.



However there is an even greater potential for towns like Westport in the possibility of attracting an un-targeted 10 % of the population who have a disability. By making Westport a disability-friendly tourism town there is a great potential for increased tourism even in this recession.



But first we need to work on making access to the town a priority and importantly we need to make the Tourist Information Kiosk at Westport Quay accessible.



Unfortunately there is no ramp adjacent to the Kiosk making it inaccessible for those of us in wheelchairs and those with mobility problems such as some senior citizens. It is over 100 metres to the nearest ramp and this cannot be called accessible.



Also the Kiosk needs some internal adjustments as the phone cannot be comfortably be used from a wheelchair, and there is no provision of a flip down seat for others. There is also a lack of tactile paving and it is not colour coded to make it easier for the visually impaired. To benefit visually impaired people, a telephone should be selected which have well lit keyboards, large embossed or raised numerals that contract in colour and luminance.



A tactile telephone symbol should be placed outside an accessible telephone kiosk. Instructions for using telephone should be clear and displayed in a large easy to read typeface. Induction couples should be fitted to enable people with hearing aids to use them. The telephone should be identified by the appropriate symbol adjacent to the telephone or outside the kiosk. Preferably, telephones for use by disabled people should be located to enable wheelchair users to approach and use the phone from the front and the side. If it it raining it is imposable to use the phone the front or side as there is no protection from the rain unlike the location of the able-bodied phone and a knee hole is needed at least 500mm deep to enter from the front.



A fold down seat 450mm-50mm high or a perch seat 650mm-800mm high should be provided for the convenience of ambulant people. Politicians and Communities who strive to make environment accessible to all are demonstrating their desire to offer the population a good quality of life and provide people their opportunities to develop, both social and personally. It should also be remembered that it is the politicians who are responsible for public spending. In this respect, making environment accessible has a direct effect on public spending. But it is a great start and with a bit of work it could be the first step in a Westport which welcomes tourists from all over the world to a disability-friendly Westport.





Finally, proper accessibility makes towns more attractive for the people who live in them and for potential visitors (tourism) I have followed the discussions about accessibility since the late eighties, many enthusiastic and passionate things have been said and written. The fact remains that we still cannot claim that the town of Westport is accessible for all. Representatives of those in our community with issues such as mobility and access are only too delighted to work with councils and organisations in making our community accessible for all. We are entitled to be consulted and our motto is “Nothing about us, without us!”





Sincerely Yours



Thomas Chambers

Disability Campaigner

Knocknageeha

Newport

Co. Mayo

€1 million tourism boost for Mayo

€1m tourism boost for Mayo
TUESDAY, 15 JULY 2008
Michael Duffy

FIVE tourism projects in Mayo are to get significant funding under the Tourism Infrastructure Project, it was announced yesterday (Monday). The funding was sanctioned by the Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism, Martin Cullen TD, under the Fáilte Ireland Tourism Infrastructure Fund.
The projects in Mayo to benefit are: Killary – Newport Linear Cycle Route, grant aid of 75 per cent, up to a maximum of €105,000; Croagh Patrick and National Famine Monument Site, improvement of facilities, grant aid of 75 per cent, up to a maximum of €112,500; Westport Cycle Hub – Railway Cycle Lane, grant aid of 75 per cent, up to a maximum of €252,750; Westport Hub Cycle Route, provision of a cycle lane, grant aid of 75 per cent, up to a maximum of €262, 500 and a National Coastal Walk, development of a walk from Westport Quay to National Famine Museum, Croagh Patrick, grant aid of 75 per cent, up to a maximum of €262,500.
Deputy Beverley Flynn warmly welcomed the funding, saying it is crucial that the Government continues to invest in tourism infrastructure, particularly in the west of Ireland where tourism products are growing at an enormous rate.
Westport’s Fianna Fáil councillor, Margaret Adams, who has done a lot of lobbying in relation to funding for cycle routes and walkway around the town, said she was delighted that work can now begin on making these much-needed attractions a reality.

One Man’s Story

One Man’s Story

in September of this year, a delegation of the disabled arrived in Strasbourg at the heart of the EU to lobby MEPs for increased direct funding of the disabled throughout the EU. The trip was organised by the European Network of Independent Living (ENIL) and the Centre for Independent Living Dublin (CIL Dublin) and was seen as an opportunity to empower people with disabilities from all over the European Union states.
Disability campaigner Tom Chambers was among those who travelled out to meet the MEPs, rally outside the Parliament and meet with the European Court of Human Rights. Tom is well known throughout Mayo and further a field as a dedicated campaigner for the rights of those with disabilities and for the provision of disability accessible facilities and buildings.
The Strasbourg Freedom Drive 2009 took place from Monday 14th to Thursday 17th September 2009. The purpose of this trip was to deliver a petition from people all over Europe with various disabilities to the European Parliament.

Here is Tom’s story

I had travelled by air via Charles De Gaulle Airport to Strasbourg in 2005 on my own.
In 2007 I travelled by bus with Clare people with Disabilities from Cork to Roscoff in West France and on to Strasbourg by bus.
In 2009 I decided to bring my PA who was Kathy Kilbane. When we decided to go we sat down and agreed that Kathy would look after tickets and accommodation and I would try and raise the funds.
I made contact with CIL in Dublin who was always helpful. It was through them that I got a grant for my trip. By the 11th September 2009 we had our ticket/accommodation/funds got, bags packed and a few extra Euros in my pocket it was “Strasbourg here we Come”

We travelled by air from Knock International Airport to Stanstead Airport and by train to St. Pancras, London where we stayed that night. We headed for Paris by Euro star in the morning to be treated to an English breakfast followed by a glass of Champagne. From there to Strasbourg by Train ò Grande Vitesse (TGV) – but no champagne on this train. We eventually got to the hostel Amélie Duroch CIARUS a place worth staying in with your PA and good food and very friendly staff, where we were to stay during our time there.

As Monday was free for anyone who decided not to attend the Conference in the European Youth Centre (EYC) we decided to pay a visit to the open market opposite the EU Buildings (someplace not to be missed). Back to hostel for a meal and a few drinks where we met a father and son and Miguel Fonseca (who became our friends) before going to our beds.

The trip was structured and on Tuesday 15th. Firstly at the European Youth Centre (EYC) al campaigners were formally welcomed to Strasbourg by Liz Taylor on behalf of the Council of Europe and representations from all countries that attended were given a chance to speak about their countries. We met with out Irish MEPS to discuss the petition and had a Q and A session. This meeting took place in the Parliament Buildings, Meeting Room N4.3 at 2pm. Inside were 12 MEP’s including the three from the Connaught region.

Wednesday was the day of the march. All Freedom Drivers met at Parc Du Commardes at 10am where tee-shirts were given to all participants, sponsored by the Norwegian Group, and marched from there to the Parliament Buildings a distance of 1.6 kilometres. It was very uplifting and I was proud to be there. All participants were singing “We shall overcome” and chanting and mildly protesting! So can you imagine the scene? Both myself and my PA were appropriately dressed in the Mayo colours and waiving the Red and Green flags of Mayo. The meeting was chaired by Richard Howitt, Chairperson of the European Disability Federation (EDF). Several members of ENIL New Member States had their voices heard such as Bulgaria and Lithuania. As the meeting was about to close the President of the European Union, Mr. Jerzy Buzek, was presented with the Eight Petitions by the President of ENIL Bente Skansgard and it was a meaningful and poignant exchange. The petition consisted of eight demands (8) which were compiled by European Network of Independent Living (ENIL) and the Centre for Independent Living Dublin (CIL Dublin). A total of 48 persons and their PA’s went from Ireland and were joined by 441 people from 21 countries from all over Europe to be there. Some took 3 days to get there you can imagine the strength of body and mind it took to do that?


Business done it was time for some fun, food and singing. We all made our way to the European Youth Centre (EYC) where some of the Irish contingency was staying. We had a Barbeque and some drinks, sponsored by Ireland and Germany, and generally exchanged our emails addresses with other Freedom Drivers.

Stansted Airport on arrival from Ireland didn’t have a lift available so the airline service personnel chair lifted me off the plane. As this was not a comfortable experience we asked that a lift be available when we checked in for return and it was. Although the service user is still required to transfer from evacuation chair to a window isle seat in row 3!!! Airline policy. In London busses were accessible but at the mercy of the Bus Driver! All black cabs in London are accessible it’s the law.

But in saying all this, there were no injury’s sustained and everything went as well as we could have hoped for?

Summery

I felt the organization by Barbora and Naoise with their workshops prior to going on last year’s trip was of great benefit to all the 49 Freedom Drivers from Ireland. Take bow girls!!
A lot can be learned by taking in the trip just to see how people with disabilities live in their countries and how our lives are no different either. Some might have a better PA service than others and there are people with disabilities out there that have no such service at all. But there is one thing and that is “we are all equal”
If you are thinking about going to Strasbourg for the first time next year my advice would be to start putting a few bob whenever you have it to spare and allow a few extra days to see the city of Strasbourg and its Cathedral and fine shopping and eating places and use their trams and busses and of course allow some time to visit the atmosphere in “Molly Malone’s, Brady’s and the Dubliner” and taste the Irish porter. I have my account getting bigger by the month.

Regards,
Tom

PS I have just been informed that my FACEBOOK account has been disabled?? Am upset as I had a lot of good friends

TOURISM FAILING PEOPLE

TOURISM FAILING PEOPLE
WITH DISABILITIES

Dear Editor,

Tourism is missing out on millions or euros annually, because its failure to cater for the needs of the disabled according to a survey carried out by the University of Ulster,“School of Built Environment” This can affect about 70% of the population. If one takes into factor the population of Ireland alone, the disabled community together with their families, friends and relations would be affected it also found out that while some tourist offices might be accessible, there is a lack of information about where disabled tourism can visit, stay or eat. The survey also found that while staff, at tourist offices was helpful, less than half could offer useful advice. Disabled visitors are left to hope for the best, the survey warned, it added that not only is it bad for the tourism, it is bad for business.

Many critics in Westport including myself have called on the tourist trade here to wake up to the fact that disabled tourists are lucrative customers. Research indicates that there are over 55 million people with disability resident in the European Union (E.U.) alone. That figure pointed to the potential size of the market. For disabled tourists facing into a journey, fear of the unknown is often a key element. Not been aware of the accessibility status of places and venues can easily undermine the will to travel.

The life of a disabled person such as I is effectively controlled by that of the able-bodied world. But what is the right of a disabled person? Are we safe having our lives structured, or can we also be leaders of such vital legislation? For tourists with mobility, sensory and cognitive impairment, what has a town like Westport, having the title of“Tidiest Town in Ireland” to offer the disabled. What is the point in dressing up and nowhere to go? By this I mean are the pubs, hotels, toilets , hotels, swimming pool, cinemas, public library, post office, B/Bs, restaurants, takeaways, GAA pitches heritage centre, parking facilities for disabled drivers/passengers and the public toilets.

Are the streets of Westport safe enough for disabled, especially when we read in the papers that owing to the state of some, Councilors had threatened to carry out repairs with their own monies? This is despite commitments following the DISABILITY ACT 2005, which is over 3 years old.

Westport Tourist Office is the only Tourist Office in Co. Mayo open the whole year, yet it is totally unaccessible for people with disabilities.


Have a person with a disability tried to book a room with a level access shower? Not easy is it. You call a hotel with a wheelchair sign in the guide and the conversation goes something like this: Do you have accessible rooms. If the answer is yes, do they have level access showers, the answer will range from “What do you mean to? Well it does have a ledge” to “No, but we do have baths and the room is wheelchair friendly. If you are lucky enough to get a positive reply and there is a level access shower the next question you might ask is “Do they have a shower chair. Silence for a minute, then this leads to another “What do you mean”. How difficult is it to understand that people who can’t walk or stand needs something to sit on in a shower, preferably a shower chair. And how are you supposed to get into a bath when your legs can’t work. You will travel the length and breadth of this country looking for a hotel with both a level access shower and a shower wheelchair.

So I decided to contact Failte Ireland which administers what it calls the Validated Accessible Scheme (VAS). This scheme is designed to encourage hotels to be more accessible to people with disabilities. VAS has 4 categories ranging from category 1, which is for people with enough mobility to walk into a room, to category 4, where the guest requires assistance to shower, etc.
Failte Ireland informed me that 29 Irish hotels have registered with the scheme, with only 6 qualifying for category 4. The Irish Federation has a membership of approx. 800 hotels. This would mean that at most 3.6% of their hotels are in the scheme and only 0.75% is qualified for category 4 an abysmal performance by our failte (welcoming) industry.
Why is the performance not better? Well first of all it’s a commercial issue. If a hotel doesn’t need to spend what ever little extra it costs to build a wheelchair friendly room why should they bother. But hold it there - surely we have legislation which requires hotels to provide specific facilities for the disabled. Answer to that is yes and no.“Legalisation???

I seem to have stumbled across one of the great Irish secrets. We don’t have adequate hotel facilities for the disabled. We don’t have enforcement legislation inspection or validation scheme to ensure tourists are given correct information. Once again the disabled have to look after themselves. The shame of it is that this so called successful society of ours simply does not have an interest in catering for people with disabilities because there isn’t a quick buck in it.

Thomas Chambers
Disability Campaigner
“The Billy Ranch”
Knocknageeha
Newport
Co. Mayo

Polling Booths in Ireland

Disability Campaigner not happy with lack of accessible polling stations in the Mayo Electoral Area

Electors with Physical Illness or Physical Disability who have difficulty gaining access to their local polling stations may apply to have their vote transferred to a more accessible station in their constituency. This facility is intended to assist electors who find access to their local station difficult because of the situation or design of the building. This notice appeared in the Sunday World edition of the 25th May 2008, according to Disability Campaigner, Tom Chambers.

Notice was placed in Tuesday 27th May 2008 edition of the Mayo news advising that 17 polling stations in the Mayo constituency would be “inaccessible or pose difficulties for accessibility for those with disabilities” who wish to vote in the Lisbon Treaty on the 12th June 2008. Despite the fact that the 1996 Electoral Act provides that wheelchair accessible polling stations “shall “ be provided sufficient funding to enact this provision hasn’t been made available by the Government of the day.

In the light of this, alternative arrangements are been made by the County Register to allow disabled voters affected to vote at the nearest wheelchair accessible polling station. Considering that all of them are National schools this reflects particularly badly on the rights of the disabled in our education system, he said. In other words, we the disabled have to go in search of polling stations that we feel are accessible. White this is undoubtedly incontinence in rural areas; it is a greater burden for the disabled in more remote parts of the county.

However, progress has been made since the last election when 18 such polling stations (schools) were inaccessible to the disabled. But this is still not good enough, according to Tom Chambers who says the situations symptomatic of the lack of efforts’ to recognising the rights of the disabled. The lack of accessible polling stations needs to be highlighted to our public representatives who come knocking on our doors looking for votes to enable the disabled to exercise their constitutional right to vote in the same way as every other citizen. “Disabled citizens who do intend to exercise their rights to vote regardless of the blatant discrimination against them should be funded for the extra distance they have to travel to the nearest polling station, said Tom Chambers.


Finally, the European and local elections will be taken place in 2009 are we going to put up with the same thing again or are we going to make a stand for ourselves. By this I mean to boycott the election in 2009 if we can’t get a commitment from the people we propose to elect and represent us at all levels, said Mr. Chambers.

Wheelchair Jeet Kune Doo

Newport man pushes the boundaries to conquer yet another challenge


There’s something about Tom Chambers that enlivens the spirit. Wheel-chair bound since an accident in 1981, the Newport man’s spirit knows no bounds.
The sports fanatic has completed numerous marathons, pushed the wheels through countless races and inspired a multitude through his unyielding belief that anything is possible.
The big man was always active, playing football with his native Burrishoole in his youth and later lining out across the water in England.
Then a car accident in 1981 left him disabled but nothing could harness his love of life and ambition to push back the boundaries time and time again.
Tom never ceases to amaze, but his latest venture is even more interesting than usual. The Newport man has taken up Martial Arts.
Jeet Kune Do (The Way of the Intercepting Fist) now has a Newport exponent and Chambers is more than enthusiastic about his new achievement.

“If you always put limits on everything you do, it will spread into your work and your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.”

“It’s a method of self-defense for those of us with spinal injuries and it really works. I was delighted to get involved. I’ve met some amazing people and I’m learning new skills all the time,” Tom explained this week.
The well-known sportsman travels to the National Rehabilitation Centre in Dun Laoghaire regularly to hone and perfect his skills and he loves every minute of it. “I’m really enjoying it, but it’s hard work too. We put in some very tough sessions and there’s nothing easy about it. We learn how to defend ourselves and that means learning the skills that might save our lives one day. Many wheelchair users have been attacked over the years and it’s a serious business,” he added.
One of the seminars which took place during the self-defense program had Andy Kimura as the guest instructor. Kimura, senior instructor at the Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute of Seattle is son of Taky Kimura, Bruce Lee’s closest friend and highest ranked student.
The course participants received a special personal message from Taky Kimura before his son took them through a day of very intense and rewarding work on the program.
Kimura even got into a wheelchair himself so that he could better understand the different balance requirements for wheelchair users.
Tom Chambers was especially commended for traveling all the way across the country to take part, but that was nothing out of the ordinary for the Newport man, his dedication and spirit has been surprising people for a generation.
The core principles of Wheelchair Jeet Kune Doo state that it’s “Better to hold and injure rather than just inflict pain.” The training sessions teach Chambers and his colleagues numerous movements and the deflection and minimization of the assailant’s power. It teaches defensive and then counter-attacking moves.
Chambers is enjoying every aspect of his new knowledge, but he is also aware that there are many new challenges out there for him to conquer. He can’t wait.

Special Injuries Ireland self defence programme modules

To be confident that you know how to protect yourself
Simple moves which will work for a person who uses a wheelchair
Understand the psychology of aggression and how to diffuse it
To know when and how to strike first
Understanding how to turn fear into a positive defense response
To have a self-defense mindset available if ever needed

Cllr. Keith Martin's letter and brick

Letter to the Editor

Posted: 27 Apr 2010 03:04 PM PDT

Dear Editor,



Now that a contractor has been appointed to construct the new Gaelscoil building on the Golf Course Road in Westport it is timely to remind ourselves of the facts relating to the selection of the site and the construction schedule since then.



Shortly after the local elections of 2004 my fellow councillors and I meet with a large deputation from the Gaelscoil who asked us as a council to lobby for a new building. I was present at that meeting and was able to give the parents and guardians my full support.



At a later meeting of the council there was unanimous support from all sides of the chamber for our council to proceed to lobby the government on a non-partisan basis for a new school.



When further assistance was requested from the school as to sourcing a suitable site for the school, Westport Town Council answered the call and identified a suitable site on council land on the Golf Course Road.



This proposal was put to the nine councillors for consideration and again in non-partisan approach councillors voted unanimously in 2005 to sell the site to the Department of Education to facilitate the building of the school.



In January 2006 the Department of Education gave the go-ahead for the architectural planning of the school and granted funding for the new ten classroom school with a completion date of mid-2007.



There it waited, in limbo, for two years in the stage of "advanced architectural planning" while the nine councilors of Westport Town Council joined all the other parties in lobbying for an actual date for a contractor to be appointed.



Imagine my surprise when, TWO YEARS later, Batt O'Keeffe, Minister for Education, held an unadvertised sod turning ceremony on the site weeks before the Local and European Elections of June 2009.



No contractor had been appointed, only the Cathaoirleach, the Fianna Fail members of Westport Town Council and a few representatives of the parents and staff of the school were invited.



The five other councillors from Fine Gael, Labour and Sinn Fein, who had all lobbied and fought for the school, and who had voted to make the land available for the school were not informed or invited to this so called sod turning.



It soon was very, very obvious that this was just a pre-election political stunt and so, to highlight it as such, I pulled a political stunt of my own and posted the very same sod back to Minister O'Keeffe.



Despite a lot of spluttering and mock indignation from the Minister and his colleagues on Westport Town Council there was no contractor appointed. In fact when Batt O'Keeffe left office the Gaelscoil was no far along than it was before he was appointed.



This week I was wrapping a brick to post to Minister Mary Coughlan to celebrate the anniversary of my posting the sod to Minister O'Keeffe when I learned of the good news that, finally a contractor had been appointed, ONE YEAR after the so called sod turning.




If it were not for the guardians, parents and teachers of the school this project would never have happened, but it is important to remember that this project was facilitated greatly by the nine members of Westport Town Council, acting in a non-partisan manner.




It was a shame that the Fianna Fail's Minister, TD and local councillors sought to snub and ignore the role played by all nine councillors in serving their community. In my opinion it reflects poorly on them even now.



As for my brick, its still wrapped up and if the school is not delievered on time I will use it as I see best to get the job done.




In the meantime I look forward to the REAL sod turning, with a contractor!



Yours sincerely



____________

Cllr Keith Martin

Leas Cathaoirleach

Westport Town Council

Submission on Smarter Travel for Westport

Thomas Chambers
The Billy Ranch
Knocknageha
Newport
Mayo

Submission on Smarter Travel for Westport
Monday, October 26, 2009

Dear Ms. Moore,

I would like to stress how important it is that the disabled be kept informed and consulted in relation to all works affecting us. Our motto is “Nothing about us, without us!”

I welcome this public submission process and I would like to make the following points in relation to the project.

Ensure all developments take into account all potential users including youths, schoolchildren, working people, families, elderly people and disabled people
Lower speed limits in the town to 30k mph to enhance safety for pedestrians and cyclists
Lower speed limits on the approach roads to the town to 50kmph to enhance safety for pedestrians and cyclists
Erect signage throughout the town raising awareness of other non-motor road users
Hold educational workshops and campaigns informing motorists that they must share the road with pedestrians and cyclists and safety measures to do so
Lobby the driving test centres to incorporate 'Sharing the Road with non-motor users' into their test
Build a proper bus terminal perhaps in the Mill St. / High St. car park and connect it to the Train station via the Railway line walk.
Lobby for commuter friendly Bus Eireann times
Lobby for the commuter train to run from Westport to Castlebar to Claremorris
Improved bus links with Knock Airport.
Lobby for improved bicycle transport on all public transport systems
Erect sheltered bicycle racks at the Railway and Bus stop
Develop rural transport schemes giving people that live in the countryside the opportunity to leave their car at home.
Develop a shuttle bus service from Westport town to the Quay
Extend footpaths to all urban areas so that at least all houses within the designated urban area can walk safely to town
Improve the Murrisk cycle way to ensure it is used properly.
Improve cycle rack in Murrisk car park
Ensure safe walking and cycle paths exist to all schools
Ensure safe road crossings exist close to all schools (note a pedestrian crossing should be erected on the Castlebar road allowing students to cross to the Gaelscoil and to Rice College)



Tom Chambers

Airport charges - new rules could mean cheaper flights

Airport charges - new rules could mean cheaper flights
Transport - 21-10-2008 - 17:10


Airports and their charges: 69 airports could be affected©BELGA_MAXPPP_GERARD LAUNET
Airport charges are one of the hidden costs of flying and usually they are passed on from airlines to passengers. Wednesday evening sees MEPs debate whether to support a proposed directive which aims to set common rules for how charges are calculated. It could affect Europe's biggest airports and help introduce more competition between them.
Its supporters also believe it could lead to fairer and clearer ticket pricing. This debate - due to be held in Strasbourg - can be seen live on Wednesday evening from 9pm.
At present airport charges are invariably passed on to passengers. The final price for flyers can include charges to cover air passenger duty, local airport taxes, passenger service charges, fuel costs and security and insurance costs.
MEPs on the all-party Transport Committee have already indicated their backing for the directive. The drafted report indicates that the committee would like the directive applied to the largest airports in each country and those who have over 5 million passengers a year. At present this would affect 69 airports including ones such as Amsterdam and Palma de Mallorca.
MEPs would also like to see independent bodies set up to adjudicate disputes between airports over fees.
"Passengers will be protected from exorbitant charges"
The man who drafted the report is German Socialist Ulrich Stockmann. He told us that: "Passengers will be protected from exorbitant charges for landing and takeoff ... charges can also be differentiated according to environmental criteria such as aircraft noise which will also produce benefits for the citizen."
Air charges can include..
• Local airport taxes
• Fuel costs
• Security costs
• Passenger service charges
At the moment, large airports are able to dictate to individual airlines the charges they have to pay for the use of the airport infrastructure. At present airlines do not have a real choice to move away from the big airports.
Charges for disabled excluded
Such charges need not necessarily bear a direct relation to the quality of the services provided. In practice, airlines are forced to pay whatever charges the airport has determined and will usually pass these costs on to the passenger. Charges for disabled and other people who have mobility problems will be excluded from the scope of the directive. The report also calls for incentives for new routes to outlying regions of Europe. The hope is that this will help them access both people and trade. Europe's Transport Ministers meeting in the Council have already made a commitment to accept a further series of parliamentary amendments if tabled at this the second reading.

Facebook | Terri O'Callaghan's Links

Facebook | Terri O'Callaghan's Links

Ireland’s first tourist kiosk launched in Westport 5/5/2009

8th October 2009
Dear Editor,


I am writing to you to draw your attention to the Tourist Information Kiosk at Westport Quay.

The idea of an out-of-hours facility for visitors is a fantastic one which ensures that Westport does not miss out on potential tourism and makes staying in Westport easier than ever.

However there is an even greater potential for towns like Westport in the possibility of attracting an un-targeted 10% of the population who have a disability. By making Westport a disability-friendly tourism town there is a great potential for increased tourism even in this recession.

But first we need to work on making access to the town a priority and importantly we need to make the Tourist Information Kiosk at Westport Quay accessible.

Unfortunately there is no ramp adjacent to the Kiosk making it inaccessible for those of us in wheelchairs and those with mobility problems such as some senior citizens. It is over 100 metres to the nearest ramp and this cannot be called accessible.

Also the Kiosk needs some internal adjustments as the phone cannot be comfortably be used from a wheelchair, and there is no provision of a flip down seat for others. There is also a lack of tactile paving and it is not colour coded to make it easier for the visually impaired. To benefit visually impaired people, a telephone should be selected which have well lit keyboards, large embossed or raised numerals that contract in colour and luminance.

A tactile telephone symbol should be placed outside an accessible telephone kiosk. Instructions for using telephone should be clear and displayed in a large easy to read typeface. Induction couples should be fitted to enable people with hearing aids to use them. The telephone should be identified by the appropriate symbol adjacent to the telephone or outside the kiosk. Preferably, telephones for use by disabled people should be located to enable wheelchair users to approach and use the phone from the front and the side. If it it raining it is imposable to use the phone the front or side as there is no protection from the rain unlike the location of the able-bodied phone and a knee hole is needed at least 500mm deep to enter from the front.

A fold down seat 450mm-50mm high or a perch seat 650mm-800mm high should be provided for the convenience of ambulant people. Politicians and Communities who strive to make environment accessible to all are demonstrating their desire to offer the population a good quality of life and provide people their opportunities to develop, both social and personally. It should also be remembered that it is the Politicians who are responsible for public spending. In this respect, making environment accessible has a direct effect on public spending. But it is a great start and with a bit of work it could be the first step in a Westport which welcomes tourists from all over the world to a disability-friendly Westport.


Finally, proper accessibility makes towns more attractive for the people who live in them and for potential visitors (tourism) I have followed the discussions about accessibility since the late eighties, many enthusiastic and passionate things have been said and written. The fact remains that we still cannot claim that the town of Westport is accessible for all. Representatives of those in our community with issues such as mobility and access are only too delighted to work with councils and organisations in making our community accessible for all. We are entitled to be consulted and our motto is “Nothing about us, without us!”


Sincerely Yours

Thomas Chambers
Access Campaigner
Knocknageeha
Newport
Co. Mayo

IS WESTPORT TOWN SAFE TO VISIT????

On the 26th September 2009 while in Westport I decided to have a drink in the “West Bar” in Bridge Street a bar that I have known to have an occasional drink since 1982 while visiting the town.

At approximately 3pm that day I ordered a pint of beer from a barman. He half-filled the glass with drink when the barrel went dry so he tried to top it up with beer straight from a fresh barrel and handed it out to me and as I felt it was not filled properly I refused the pint.

Another man who I believe was the owner said “Give me the drink and I will sort him out” and they both were muttering with their backs to me. He slapped the drink on the counter and grabbed 4 euros I had left on the counter and gave back the change.

I tasted the drink and it smelled very sour and said so to him. It was then he grabbed the pint and tipped in into the sink. Turned to me and said “Get to Fuck out of here and take your sour puss with you”

I took a deep breath and wheeled my wheelchair out the door disgusted and angry and been approximately 70 years of age I ask you is the town of Westport SAFE especially after a member of the Garda stabbed a few weeks ago.

Campaigners Warn Lack of Disabled Access Looses Retailers Thousands

Campaigners Warn Lack of Disabled Access Looses Retailers Thousands
Campaigners have warned that retailers are loosing thousands of pounds every year due to insufficient access for disabled people.
Disability Wales is currently compiling a report into the issue, the campaign, Streets Ahead, has been running since November 2008 and the report is due to be published in September. Disability Wales hopes that the report will influence decision makers at the Welsh Assembly and at Westminster.
Some of the difficulties that disabled people face include lack of drop kerbs, narrow and uneven pavements, a lack of step free access, narrow isles and lack of disability awareness training.
In an interview with Wales Online, Disability Wales policy officer Rhyan Berrigan said that:
“If shops were more accessible disabled people would be more likely to shop there.
“We want to make retailers aware that people have money to spend and if they can access the shop they’re likely to return there again and again.
“In general there’s quite a negative attitude from shop keepers about the issue, which we believe is because of a lack of awareness and a lack of training.”
Disability Wales isn’t the only group that is concerned with the lack of disabled access. Richard Jones, Principal Consultant of Accessible Wales, said that:
“As a both a person with a disability and also a disability consultant I advocate positive access. The improvement of access within town centres should go a long way to boosting trade that is already struggling. I would be proud to see that people with disabilities can shop in the local town centres as opposed to visiting large out of town retailers. Accessible Wales completely backs the “Streets Ahead” campaign and will do anything we can to enhance the awareness of good access.”

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Stephen Hawking To Make A Full Recovery
Professor Stephen Hawking was taken into hospital on Monday 20th of April after falling very ill. However, a statement on his official site on Tuesday states: ‘Professor Hawking is being kept in for observation at Addenbrooke's hospital this morning. He is comfortable and his family is looking forward to him making a full recovery.’

A Cambridge University spokesman said Hawking was still having tests for a condition that was not related to his respiratory infection, and was not life threatening.

Hawking began to develop the symptoms of incurable motor neurone disease in the 1960s. Motor neuron disease causes the nerves that control muscles to steadily decay; this has led to Hawking gradually losing the use of his limbs and voice which has resulted in Hawking using a wheelchair and being reliant upon a computer screen and a voice synthesiser to communicate. Hawking is one of the world's longest-surviving MND patients.

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The Equality Bill
The Equality Bill is just days away from being presented before parliament. If the Bill is passed then there will be major changes for the disabled community.
The Bill aims to make Britain fairer through a single equality, which will require public bodies to consider the diverse needs and requirements of their workforce, and the communities they serve, when developing employment policies and when planning services. The Bill will try to tackle the discrimination that people face and promote disability equality, racial equality, age equality, gender equality and equality for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities.
For the disabled community the Bill will try to improve conditions through a verity of ways. One of these is through changing employment tribunals in order to allow them to make far wider recommendations that will improve policies not just for the individual but for a larger group of people. The Bill will also make it possible to pave the way for class-action discriminations claims which will allow an entire workforce can be represented in court by groups such as trade unions or the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
In addition, the new Equality Bill will mean that Positive Action can be used by employers. This will make it possible for employers to take under-representation into account when choosing between two equally qualified candidates for a job. Positive Action is supported by the CBI, the TUC and the Equality and Human Rights Commission, as a means of producing workforces which are more diverse and more reflective of the communities they operate in.
According to the website www.equailtybill.com:
‘Of all the groups represented by the Equality Duty, the disabled are those most likely to encounter benefits in their day-to-day lives. Whether it is drop-down kerbs for wheelchair users, or sign-language provision for the deaf, public bodies will be under a duty to provide and promote Equality in every decision they make.’

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Asda to Sell Living Aids
Seventy five Asda stores will start selling living aids aimed at disabled and older people on Saturday. Fifteen products are currently being stocked including folding wheelchairs, walking sticks, urine bottles, tap turners, raised toilet seats, jar and bottle openers and easy handle pens. The products will sold under the name Mobilease which has been devolped by businessman Dermot McLaughlin and is registered with the MHRA who have responsibility to ensure that medical devices work and are acceptably safe.
Until now, mobility aids have only been available on prescription through the NHS or social services, independent stores or specialist websites and newspaper or television adverts.

In an interview with Disability Now, Mr McLaughlin said that:
'The mobility and living aids industry has been stuck in the dark ages for decades.

'The very products that are created to make life easier for people have been cursed by a strange irony - they are unnecessarily difficult to access.

'They should be easily available to customers, but the existing government system can be slow and restrictive.'
Pamela Martin, Senior Buyer for ASDA, said:
‘Mobilease products are incredibly important for a large number of our customers and we're delighted to be the exclusive retailer. Our 17 million customers a week identify ASDA as a retailer that is constantly looking to offer value in all areas of our business and this new offering supports this wholeheartedly.’
If you are interested in buying any of the Mobilease products you can find out where they are being stocked by visiting the Mobilease website, www.mobilease.co.uk.

Do you think this a positive move? Will you be buying any of the Mobilease products?
Get in touch with us by emailing info@access-news.co.uk or via the Facebook group.
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Bouncers Mistake Cerebral Palsy for Drunkenness
Matty Thompson claims that he was refused entry into a pub after the bouncers mistook his cerebral palsy for drunkenness and was then verbally abused.
Matty, 18, was out with his friends and sister Katie, 20, when the bouncers told them that Matty wasn’t allowed into the pub because he was drunk and couldn’t walk. Katie then explained that Matty has cerebral palsy which affects the way he walks, but the bouncers asked for a medical card to prove this and then continued to radio other pubs nearby to tell them not to let Matty in.
In an interview with the Mail Online, Matty’s mother Jenette Thompson said: 'I'm absolutely outraged. They just can't treat people with disabilities and learning difficulties like that and call him names.

'He was very upset about it. He told me he was called names. It's sheer ignorance on their part.'
In the same interview a spokesman for Scope, the national disability charity which focuses on cerebal palsy, said: 'A disabled person should not be denied access to any premises or facilities because they are disabled.

'Disabled people have the same right to go into pubs and clubs as anyone else.
'More needs to be done to get the public, and especially those who work in customer service, to truly understand and appreciate difference so that discrimination against disabled people becomes a thing of the past.'

What do you think of this? Have you had any similar problems?
Get in touch with us at info@accessble-news.co.uk or via our Facebook group.

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Labour MP Claims That Dyslexia Does Not Exist
Labour MP George Stringer recently claimed that Dyslexia was a piece of ‘cruel fiction’ to disguise bad teaching in schools.
Dyslexia is a condition that is thought to affect approximately six million people in the United Kingdom. People with Dyslexia have difficulties in reading, spelling, and short term verbal memory. Current medical suggests that theses difficulties arise due to inefficiencies in language-processing areas in the left hemisphere of the brain which appear to be linked to genetic differences.
Despite this, Stinger believes that ‘If dyslexia really existed, then countries as diverse as Nicaragua and South Korea would not have been able to achieve literacy rates of nearly 100%.’
He added that ‘Certified dyslexics get longer in exams. There has been created a situation where there are financial and educational incentives to being bad at spelling and reading. This reached a pinnacle of absurdity, with Naomi Gadien, a second-year medical student initiating a legal case against the General Medical Council because she believes she's being discriminated against by having to do written exams.’
Stringer feels that teachers are failing to educate students who find reading and writing difficult, and have therefore ‘invented a brain disorder called dyslexia.’
Due to his claims many leading Dyslexia charities have criticised Stringer. In an interview with the Guardian, Shirley Cramer, chief executive officer of the educational charity Dyslexia Action, said: ‘It is frustrating that the focus should be on whether dyslexia exists or not, when there is so much evidence that it does.’
What is your opinion? Is Stringer justified in his view?
Email us at info@accessble-news.co.uk
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Waiting for Independence
On March 6th Dragon’s Eye reported on the shocking case of Lewis Walker. Lewis is a 3 year old boy who has Cerebral Palsy and his parents were told that he may have to wait two years until he can receive a specialist motorised wheelchair. Last August, Lewis was put on a waiting list to be assessed for a chair but, he still hasn’t been assessed and therefore he cannot get the chair that he needs.
Lewis’s mother, believes that the lack of the wheelchair is seriously affecting Lewis’s quality of life as he needs the chair for things like school and for his independence. She told Dragon’s Eye that: “It's pretty disgusting really that kids have to wait. It's not just kids, it's adults as well. It's just wrong really. These kids only get one chance in life and they're not getting it without a chair."
In January 2009, the Caernarfon Denbigh Herald reported the case of Llinos Parry. Llinos also suffers form Cerebral Palsy and she has been waiting since November 2007 for a new wheelchair but hasn’t even been assessed. However, she has been promised a new chair by March.
According to the statistics that North Wales NHS Trust told Dragon’s Eye:
• 44 children are waiting 0-6months
• 25 children are waiting 6-12months
• 5 children are waiting 12-15months
• 1 child has been waiting 20 months for an assessment

North Wales NHS Trust argues that the reason that there are delays in patients receiving wheelchairs is because, until recently, they were not given enough money from its’ commissioner, Health Commission Wales. North Wales NHS Trust has also told the BBC that they are working to ensure that no child is waiting longer than a year to receive an assessment.
Accessible News Web Editor and disability rights campaigner Richard Jones had the following to say on the matter: “It is an absolute disgrace that children with disabilities have to wait so long for their basic human rights. A wheelchair is a pair of legs to these children. Why should they be starved of their independence, freedom… of their childhood. This problem should be rectified as a matter of urgency as it is another case of the authorities letting people with disabilities down.”
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Bouncers Mistake Cerebral Palsy for Drunkenness

Bouncers Mistake Cerebral Palsy for Drunkenness
Matty Thompson claims that he was refused entry into a pub after the bouncers mistook his cerebral palsy for drunkenness and was then verbally abused.
Matty, 18, was out with his friends and sister Katie, 20, when the bouncers told them that Matty wasn’t allowed into the pub because he was drunk and couldn’t walk. Katie then explained that Matty has cerebral palsy which affects the way he walks, but the bouncers asked for a medical card to prove this and then continued to radio other pubs nearby to tell them not to let Matty in.
In an interview with the Mail Online, Matty’s mother Jenette Thompson said: 'I'm absolutely outraged. They just can't treat people with disabilities and learning difficulties like that and call him names.

'He was very upset about it. He told me he was called names. It's sheer ignorance on their part.'
In the same interview a spokesman for Scope, the national disability charity which focuses on cerebal palsy, said: 'A disabled person should not be denied access to any premises or facilities because they are disabled.

'Disabled people have the same right to go into pubs and clubs as anyone else.
'More needs to be done to get the public, and especially those who work in customer service, to truly understand and appreciate difference so that discrimination against disabled people becomes a thing of the past.'

What do you think of this? Have you had any similar problems?
Get in touch with us at info@accessble-news.co.uk or via

Hybrid Car Pose Potential Threat to Hearing Impaired

The ministry for transport in Japan has brought together a panel to assess whether manufactures of hybrid cars will have to install noise making devices.
The hybrid cars make almost no noise when they change from fuel to battery and this poses a potential threat to people with visual impairments. Due to this the panel is considering forcing manufactures to install noise making devices.
In an interview with the BBC, a transport ministry official said, “Blind people depend on sounds when they walk, but there are no engine sounds from hybrid vehicles when running at low speed.”
The world’s most popular hybrid car is the Toyota Prius. A spokesman for Toyota Motor in Tokyo, told the BBC that although Toyota has no immediate plans to add noise-making devices to the hybrid vehicles if it becomes a social concern, it is something that Toyota will have to address.