Parking card for people with disabilities in the European Union:
conditions in the Member States
European Commission
Put the freestanding folder at the window next to your parking card so that language(s) of the country you are visiting is/are visible.
Use it as a cover for the booklet.
Parking card for people with disabilities in the European Union:
conditions in the Member States
European Commission
Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Unit G.3Integration of People with Disabilities
Manuscript completed in February 2008
Document drawn up on the basis of the Council Recommendation 2008/205/EC. Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission may be held responsible for the use that may be made of the information contained in this publication.
Europe Direct is a service to help you find answers to your questions about the European Union Freephone number (*): 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 (*) Certain mobile telephone operators do not allow access to 00 800 numbers or these calls may be billed. A great deal of additional information on the European Union is available on the Internet. It can be accessed through the Europa server (http://europa.eu/).
© European Communities, 2008 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.
Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication.
Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2008
ISBN 978-92-79-08342-6 DOI 10.2767/57859
Printed in Belgium
Printed on white chlorine-free PaPer
General information and advice
This brochure is a fact sheet giving an overview of the conditions of use of a parking card for people with disabilities in the different Member States of the European Union.
Before travelling to another country, read the rules in force in that country. In some cases you will need to ask for further information locally.
Use the information provided in the freestanding folder in the language of the country where you are travelling by displaying it next to your parking card. This information will provide the local authorities with an explanation that your card is based on the standardised Community model and that you should benefit from all associated parking facilities for disabled persons in that country.
3 4 5 taBle of contentS BELGIUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 BULGARIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 CZECH REPUBLIC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 DENMARK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 GERMANY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 ESTONIA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 IRELAND. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 GREECE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 SPAIN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 FRANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 ITALY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 CYPRUS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 LATVIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 LITHUANIA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 LUXEMBOURG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 HUNGARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 MALTA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 NETHERLANDS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 AUSTRIA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 POLAND. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 PORTUGAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 ROMANIA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 SLOVENIA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 SLOVAKIA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 FINLAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 SWEDEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 UNITED KINGDOM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
BelGiUm General On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. ParKinG on roadS Do not park on roads where parking is prohibited. In most areas you may park free of charge and without time limit on road where payment is required. Check locally. ÂYou may park without time limit on roads where parking is free but restricted by time. Do not drive or park in pedestrian zones. ParKinG in car ParKS Some car parks allow vehicles displaying the parking card to be parked free of charge but only in parking bays reserved for disabled people. Check with car park notices or ask an attendant. Â6 BUlGaria General On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. ParKinG on roadS For parking outside populated areas, the vehicles should stop outside the traffic roadway. Parking on the traffic roadway is prohibited. In populated areas, the owner or the administration managing the road is allowed to designate areas, roads, or parts of roads as zones for short-term parking during certain hours. This time should not be less than 30 minutes and more than 3 hours. ParKinG in car ParKS The parking areas are marked by road signs, road markings and notices instructing the driver about the parking terms. The corresponding municipal council is allowed to set a parking fee. 7 cZecH rePUBlic General Only the holders of the badge O1 may park their vehicles in car parks reserved for disabled people marked with the badge O1. ParKinG on roadS In individual cases, and if it is urgently necessary, the drivers with the badge O1 may ignore a “parking prohibited” signs for necessary time (safety and fluency of the road traffic must not be impaired). In individual cases, and if it is urgently necessary, the cars displaying a badge O1 may ignore the following signs: “No entry” “For access only” “Supply only” “Except only” “Resident traffic” “Except resident traffic”. In individual cases, and if it is urgently necessary, the cars marked O1 can go to areas signposted “pedestrian zone”. ParKinG in car ParKS Check locally whether private car parks apply a special regime for disabled persons. A person given an O1 badge may ask the administrative authority that a reserved parking place be established at his/her residence. 8 denmarK General On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. ParKinG on roadS The following time limits apply in most areas to vehicles displaying the parking card: where parking is prohibited you may park for up • to 15 minutes, but only if you are not causing an obstruction; where parking is limited to 15-30 minutes, you • may park for up to an hour; where parking is free but limited to one, two or • three hours, you may park for an unlimited time. In some areas you must pay to park on roads. If you pay for the maximum time allowed on arrival, you may be permitted to park without time limit. Check locally. ÂDo not drive or park in pedestrian zones unless local concessions specifically allow it. Check locally. ÂParKinG in car ParKS Car parks offer no concessions to vehicles displaying the parking card. 9 GermanY General On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. Do not park if the space is marked with a person's name or vehicle registration number. ParKinG on roadS You may park for up to three hours on roads or in • zones where parking is otherwise prohibited. You may exceed the parking time on roads or in • zones where parking time is restricted. You may park free of charge in parking places • where payment is required through pay and display machines or parking meters. You may park in parking places reserved for • residents for up to three hours. You may park in restricted traffic zones and• outside the designated parking places provided you do not hinder through traffic. Park in pedestrian zones only if local concessions • explicitly allow it. Check locally. Even if it is permitted, you are only allowed to enter and park at specified times. Note: These parking concessions only apply if there is no alternative parking option available nearby. The maximum time limit for parking cannot exceed 24 hours. ParKinG in car ParKS Regulations in car parks vary. Check with car park notices or ask an attendant. 10 eStonia General On roads and in car parks, parking places for disabled people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. ParKinG on roadS You may be permitted to park on roads where parking is prohibited but only if the car is wholly parked on the footpath and if you are not causing an obstruction. You are strongly advised to check locally. ÂYou may park free of charge and without time limit on roads where payment is required. You may park without time limit on roads where parking is free but restricted by time. A disabled driver should have no time limit for parking. A driver of a disabled person may stop in order to pick up or set down a disabled person. Do not drive or park in pedestrian zones. ParKinG in car ParKS Some car parks allow vehicles displaying the parking card to be parked free of charge. Check with car park notices or ask an attendant. 11 ireland General On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. ParKinG on roadS Do not park on roads where parking is prohibited. Parking charges and parking time concessions for vehicles displaying the parking card vary. Check locally. ÂDo not drive or park in pedestrian zones. ParKinG in car ParKS In some car parks, payment concessions are given to vehicles displaying the parking card. Check with car park notices or ask an attendant. Â12 Greece General On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. Do not park if the space is marked with a person's name or vehicle registration number. ParKinG on roadS The use of the parking card allows parking on public roads or places for vehicle traffic, pedestrians or animals according to priority. Do not park on roads where parking is prohibited. In most areas you must pay to park where payment is required. Check locally. ÂIn most areas you may park without time limit on roads where parking is free but restricted by time. Check locally. ÂDo not drive or park in pedestrian zones. ParKinG in car ParKS Some car parks allow vehicles displaying the parking card to be parked free of charge. Check with car park notices or ask an attendant. 13 SPain General On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. ParKinG on roadS Do not park on roads where parking is prohibited unless local concessions specifically allow it. Check locally. ÂParking charges and parking time limit concessions for vehicles displaying the parking card vary. Check locally. ÂDo not drive or park in pedestrian zones unless local concessions specifically allow it. Check locally. ÂParKinG in car ParKS In most places car parks offer concessions to vehicles displaying the parking card. Check with car park notices or ask an attendant. Â14 france General On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. Although there is a national system of parking concessions, local variations can apply. Check locally. ÂLegislation insists on a free access to reserved parking places for disabled people and prohibits any kind of equipment which limits their access. ParKinG on roadS Do not park on roads where parking is prohibited. You must pay to park on roads where payment is required. In Paris and in some other cities, vehicles displaying the parking card may be parked on roads free of charge. Check locally. ÂIn many areas you may park without time limit on roads where parking ifs free but restricted by time. Check locally. ÂDo not drive or park in pedestrian zones. ParKinG in car ParKS Car parks give concessions to vehicles displaying the parking card. Check with car park notice or ask an attendant. Â15 italY General On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled people are marked with a yellow line and wheelchair symbol. Do not park if the space is marked with a person's name or vehicle registration number. ParKinG on roadS You may park on roads where parking is prohibited but only in an emergency and only if you are not causing an obstruction. In most areas you must pay to park where payment is required. Check locally. ÂYou may park without time limit on roads where parking is free but restricted by time. Do not drive or park in a pedestrian or ZTL (limited traffic areas) zones unless local concessions specifically allow it. Check locally. ÂParKinG in car ParKS 1 in 50 spaces in public car parks is marked for use by vehicles displaying the parking card. Vehicles displaying the parking card may be parked in those spaces free of charge. Check with car park notices or ask an attendant. Â16 cYPrUS General On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. ParKinG on roadS Do not park on roads where parking is prohibited. You may park free of charge and without time limit on roads where payment is required. Check locally. ÂParKinG in car ParKS Some public car parks allow vehicles displaying the parking card to be parked free of charge. Check with car park notices or ask an attendant. Â17 latvia General On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. ParKinG on roadS. You may park your car for free in the specially marked parking places for persons with disabilities. Persons with a parking card for people with disabilities may ignore the following signs: “Parking prohibited” “Waiting prohibited”. ParKinG in car ParKS No concessions are offered to vehicles displaying the parking card. 18 litHUania General On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. ParKinG on roadS You may park on roads where parking is prohibited but only if you are not causing an obstruction. You may park free of charge and without time limit on roads where payment is required, but only in spaces marked with a wheelchair symbol. You may park without time limit on roads where parking is free but restricted by time. You may drive in a zone where traffic is prohibited ParKinG in car ParKS Some car parks allow vehicles displaying the parking card to park free of charge, but only in parking bays reserved for disabled people. Check with car park notices or ask an attendant. 19 lUXemBoUrG General On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. ParKinG on roadS No concessions are offered to vehicles displaying the parking card. ParKinG in car ParKS No concessions are offered to vehicles displaying the parking card. 20 HUnGarY General On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. ParKinG on roadS You may park free of charge on roads where payment is required. You may exceed the time limit on roads where parking is free but restricted by time. ParKinG in car ParKS Some car parks allow vehicles displaying the parking card to park free of charge. Check with car park notices or ask an attendant. Â21 malta General On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. Details of parking concessions available to disabled people can be obtained from Maltese authorities at the following address: The Director Kummissjoni Nazzjonali Persuni b'Dizabilita' Centru Hidma Socjali Santa Venera Malta e-mail: helpdesk@knpd http://www.knpd.org/ ParKinG on roadS Check locally. ÂParKinG in car ParKS Check locally. Â22 netHerlandS General On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. Do not park if the space is marked with a person's name or vehicle registration number. ParKinG on roadS You may park for up to three hours on roads where parking is prohibited, but only if you are not causing obstruction. You must pay to park where payment is required and you must keep within the time limit. Local variations may apply. Check locally. ÂYou may park without time limit on roads where parking is free but restricted by time (blue zone). Do not drive or park in pedestrian zones. ParKinG in car ParKS No concessions are offered to vehicles displaying the parking card. 23 aUStria General On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. Do not park if the space is marked with a person's name or vehicle registration number. ParKinG on roadS Do not park on roads where stopping and parking is prohibited. In most areas you may park free of charge and without time limit where payment is required. Check locally. ÂYou may park without time limit on roads where parking is free but restricted by time. You may drive and park in pedestrian zones, but only during vehicle delivery access times. Check locally. ÂParKinG in car ParKS Public car parks offer no concessions to vehicles displaying the parking card. 24 Poland General On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. Persons with a parking card for people with disabilities may, under the condition of keeping special precautions, disobey the following traffic signs: “No movement in both directions” “No entering for engine vehicles, with the exception of one-track motor bikes” “No entering for buses” “No entering for motor bikes” “No entering for motorized bicycles” “No parking” “No parking on odd days” “No parking on even days” “Area of restricted parking”. The above mentioned provision applies also to: a person driving a vehicle, who carries a person • with reduced mobility; members of a staff of the institutions which • deal with the care, rehabilitation or education of persons with disabilities being under their care; drivers of vehicles displaying the parking card • issued abroad. ParKinG on roadS Do not park on roads where parking is prohibited. You may park free of charge and without time limit on roads where payment is required, but only in spaces marked with a wheelchair symbol. Check locally. Â25 You may park on either side of the road where parking is restricted on odd and even days but only if you are not causing an obstruction.
• Check locally. Do not drive or park in pedestrian zones unless local concessions specifically allow it.
• Check locally. ParKinG in car ParKS
No concessions are offered to vehicles displaying the parking card. But local variations may apply.
• Check locally. 26 PortUGal General On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled people are marked with a wheelchair symbol or symbol of pregnant women or women with a child in her arms. Do not park if the space is marked with a name or vehicle registration number. ParKinG on roadS Do not park on roads where parking is prohibited unless it is an absolute necessity and only if it is for a short time and does not obstruct vehicles or pedestrians. You must pay to park on roads where payment is required and must not exceed the paid for time. You must not exceed time limits on roads where time restrictions apply. Parking places close to disabled persons' residences can be reserved. Check locally. ÂDo not drive or park in pedestrian zones. ParKinG in car ParKS Car parks generally do not offer concessions to vehicles displaying a disabled person's parking card. Some local authorities establish a reserved parking place at the residence of a disabled person. 27 romania General Within parking spaces close to public utility buildings, as well as in organised parking, at least 4% of the total number of places, but not less than 2 places, are adapted, reserved and signalled through international sign to be used free of charge by disabled persons. The administrator of the parking places in the public domain distributes free parking places for disabled people that asked for and need a parking place as close to their domicile as possible. 28 Slovenia General On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. ParKinG on roadS You may park for up to two hours on roads where parking is prohibited but only if you are not causing an obstruction. You must pay to park on roads where payment is required and keep within time limit. Where you are permitted to park on pavements, you must ensure that at least 1,6m is available for pedestrians. Check locally. ÂDo not drive or park in pedestrian zones. ParKinG in car ParKS Some car parks allow vehicles displaying the parking card to be parked free of charge. Check with car park notices or ask an attendant. Â29 SlovaKia General On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. The use of restricted parking areas is entitled tovehicles marked with the no. O1 symbol. Do not park if the space is marked with a vehicle registration number. ParKinG on roadS The driver of a vehicle transporting a seriously handicapped person having to rely on individual transportation, marked with the no. O1 symbol is not obliged to adhere to parking prohibitions, provided the driver does not obstruct through traffic. A vehicle with the no. O1 marking symbol can ignore the follow signs: “Except for Deliveries”, “Deliveries Only” “Except for Transport Services” “Transport Services”. ParKinG in car ParKS Some car parks allow vehicles displaying the parking card to park free of charge or with a charge reduction. Check with car park notices or ask an attendant. Â30 finland General On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. Do not park if the space is marked with a person's name or vehicle registration number. ParKinG on roadS In some areas you may park where parking is prohibited, but only if you are not causing an obstruction. Check locally. ÂYou may park free of charge and exceed the time limit in areas where payment is required. You may exceed the time limit in areas where parking is free but limited by time. Do not drive or park in pedestrian zones. ParKinG in car ParKS Regulations in car parks vary. Check with car park notices or ask an attendant. 31 SWeden General Parking cards exempt holders only from local road traffic regulations governing parking. Local traffic regulations are usually determined by the district authority and denoted by road signs. Parking spaces reserved especially for the physically disabled with parking cards on road and in car parks are marked by a wheelchair symbol. In some districts parking is free for those displaying a parking card. ParKinG on roadS Parking for up to three hours is permitted in areas where parking is prohibited or permitted for shorter periods than three hours under local road traffic regulations. Parking for up to 24 hours is permitted in areas • where parking is permitted for periods of between three hours and 24 hours under local traffic regulations. Parking in pedestrian precincts is permitted for • up to three hours. Parking is permitted in parking spaces reserved • for the physically disabled with a parking card under local road traffic regulations. The maximum parking time for the parking space in question must be observed. You may not park in parking spaces intended for • a specific purpose or type of vehicle. ParKinG in car ParKS The above rules set out under the heading parking on roads also apply to car parks. Landowners may forbid parking or lay. 32 United KinGdom General On roads and in car parks, parking places reserved for disabled people are marked with a wheelchair symbol. The parking card is used in conjunction with a parking disc. However, people from other countries who display the parking card without a parking disc will be given the same concessions. ParKinG on roadS No concessions are offered to vehicles displaying the parking card in Central London. Check locally. ÂYou may park on roads where parking is prohibited unless there is a sign “no loading or unloading”, and only if you are not causing an obstruction for: up to three hours in England and Wales; • without time limit in Scotland and Northern • Ireland unless local restrictions apply. Check locally. Â33 You may park free of charge and without time limit on roads where payment is required unless signs indicate otherwise.
• Check locally. You may park without time limit on roads where parking is free but restricted by time unless signs indicate otherwise.
• Check locally. Do not drive or park in pedestrian zones unless local concessions specifically allow it.
• Check locally. ParKinG in car ParKS
Some car parks allow vehicles displaying the Parking Card to be park free of charge.
Check with car park notices or ask an attendant.
34 European Commission
Parking card for people with disabilities in the European Union: conditions in the Member States
Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 2008 – 36 pp. – 9,9 × 21 cm ISBN 978-92-79-08342-6
How to obtain EU publications
Our priced publications are available from EU Bookshop (http://bookshop.europa.eu/), where you can place an order with the sales agent of your choice. The Publications Office has a worldwide network of sales agents. You can obtain their contact details by sending a fax to (352) 29 29-42758.
More information:
http://parkingcard.europa.eu/
KE-30-08-401-EN-C
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Cllr Keith Martin's Blog
Recycling charges are twisted says Martin
Posted: 26 Jun 2008 07:18 PM CDT
Councillor Keith Martin has described the decision by Mayo County Council to charge for recycling at the Derrinumera and Rathroeen amenity centres as "twisted".
Cllr Martin says "the logic behind the charge is twisted as the policy locally and nationally is that the polluter pays; not the recycler!
Last week director of services Seamus Granahan revealed the proposed charges during a meeting of the environmental policy and emergency services strategic policy committee of Mayo County Council. The Chairperson of the environment strategic policy committee is Westport's Cllr Margaret Adams.
An example of the charges which may be put into effect are €2 per car and €5 per van. A council official explained that a two-tier system might come into effect where glass and can recycling banks would remain outside the centre and would be free of charge
The director of services said that the money accumulated from this fee would be invested into the construction of other centres and that the charge should be "imposed with immediate effect".
Currently, members of the public using Rathroeen and Derrinumera civic sites are only charged for bags of refuse going to landfill.
Cllr Martin says "I am opposed to such charges which will punish those who are doing their bit for the environment. I think it will end up damaging the great progress that has been made in domestic waste recycling in Mayo. Charging for recycling is another stealth tax. The public should be rewarded for recycling not charged more money.
"Mayo County Council charges private individuals and waste contractors for dumping waste at these centres and it is from these charges that the cost of these centres should be met.
"I am taking this issue up with Mr Granahan and with Cllr Margaret Adams and the rest of her committee. I think it is appalling that there has been no opposition to this plan from the committee. I am writing to all the members and officials this week. I am also urging the public to contact their local councillors and tell them to block the charges.
"I am also urgently calling on Cllr Adams, as head of the committee responsible, to come out and join me in opposing these charges. In the meantime I will not rule out public protests on the issue.
"These charges are the thin end of the wedge and once introduced there will be no limit to how much the council can and will increase them in coming years."
Cllr Martin concluded that he will be bringing a motion before Westport Town Council calling for the revocation of the charges at the July meeting of the council.
"The polluter should pay; the recycler should not, it's a simple as that. The cost of living is now sky high and we have councillors and officials introducing another stealth tax on hard pressed families. It's a disgrace!"
086 0691182 098 25747
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Recycling charges are twisted says Martin
Posted: 26 Jun 2008 07:18 PM CDT
Councillor Keith Martin has described the decision by Mayo County Council to charge for recycling at the Derrinumera and Rathroeen amenity centres as "twisted".
Cllr Martin says "the logic behind the charge is twisted as the policy locally and nationally is that the polluter pays; not the recycler!
Last week director of services Seamus Granahan revealed the proposed charges during a meeting of the environmental policy and emergency services strategic policy committee of Mayo County Council. The Chairperson of the environment strategic policy committee is Westport's Cllr Margaret Adams.
An example of the charges which may be put into effect are €2 per car and €5 per van. A council official explained that a two-tier system might come into effect where glass and can recycling banks would remain outside the centre and would be free of charge
The director of services said that the money accumulated from this fee would be invested into the construction of other centres and that the charge should be "imposed with immediate effect".
Currently, members of the public using Rathroeen and Derrinumera civic sites are only charged for bags of refuse going to landfill.
Cllr Martin says "I am opposed to such charges which will punish those who are doing their bit for the environment. I think it will end up damaging the great progress that has been made in domestic waste recycling in Mayo. Charging for recycling is another stealth tax. The public should be rewarded for recycling not charged more money.
"Mayo County Council charges private individuals and waste contractors for dumping waste at these centres and it is from these charges that the cost of these centres should be met.
"I am taking this issue up with Mr Granahan and with Cllr Margaret Adams and the rest of her committee. I think it is appalling that there has been no opposition to this plan from the committee. I am writing to all the members and officials this week. I am also urging the public to contact their local councillors and tell them to block the charges.
"I am also urgently calling on Cllr Adams, as head of the committee responsible, to come out and join me in opposing these charges. In the meantime I will not rule out public protests on the issue.
"These charges are the thin end of the wedge and once introduced there will be no limit to how much the council can and will increase them in coming years."
Cllr Martin concluded that he will be bringing a motion before Westport Town Council calling for the revocation of the charges at the July meeting of the council.
"The polluter should pay; the recycler should not, it's a simple as that. The cost of living is now sky high and we have councillors and officials introducing another stealth tax on hard pressed families. It's a disgrace!"
086 0691182 098 25747
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Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Mr Enda Kenny TD
Constituency Office
Tucker Street
Castlebar
Co Mayo
18/6/08
Dear Enda
I welcome the article that was published in the Insight Magazine, May-June issue (Kenny concerned over access in Castlebar) regarding footpath obstructions for the accessibility for all .
In 1982 when your party was in power you were among a group of Cllrs, architects, engineers, the press, myself and one other wheelchair user took part in a fact finding mission on access in Castlebar town that was 26 years ago !! And despite much talk nothing has changed except more cars more obstructions.
So I am wondering after 26 years what exactly your campaign will cover and what your objectives are .I would be happy to consult with you on issues that affect wheelchair users and people with all disabilities’
I have being actively trying to raise awareness on these issues myself on an ongoing basis but to no real effect. therefore I feel that people with disabilities should be included in all decision making that affects us.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
----------------
Tom Chambers
Constituency Office
Tucker Street
Castlebar
Co Mayo
18/6/08
Dear Enda
I welcome the article that was published in the Insight Magazine, May-June issue (Kenny concerned over access in Castlebar) regarding footpath obstructions for the accessibility for all .
In 1982 when your party was in power you were among a group of Cllrs, architects, engineers, the press, myself and one other wheelchair user took part in a fact finding mission on access in Castlebar town that was 26 years ago !! And despite much talk nothing has changed except more cars more obstructions.
So I am wondering after 26 years what exactly your campaign will cover and what your objectives are .I would be happy to consult with you on issues that affect wheelchair users and people with all disabilities’
I have being actively trying to raise awareness on these issues myself on an ongoing basis but to no real effect. therefore I feel that people with disabilities should be included in all decision making that affects us.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
----------------
Tom Chambers
THE MIRACLES IN THE CAR PARK
There are, as they say, patron saints and patron saints. Some famous, some not so much; some outstanding in they’re chosen departments, monopolists of miraculous favours.
St. Anthony for things lost; St. Jude for hopeless cases; St. Blaise for the sore throat; St. Christopher for the traveller-we each of us have our own favourite.
But surely, if there is one who has been ignored, neglected and unknown (as far as I am aware) patron saint of car parks. His identify may be a secret, but his works are the essence of heavenly intervention.
Have you not noticed, those past few weeks, the recurrent miracles played out in the public car parks of town and city? Disabled drivers (for what else can they be) gently manoeuvre their vehicles into the only unoccupied spaces in town, those marked with the wheelchair logo. Minutes later, they can be seen heading off to the shops, agile and able-bodied and fleet of foot, just like you or me, their crutches and Zimmer frames thrown to one side (or somewhere), their wheelchairs no longer needed.
But where is their gratitude? Is there a leper among them to come back and say thanks? You will scan the Thanksgiving small ads all you like, but you will see no mention of thanks to that mild and good saint who has restored their crippled bodies to full and instant health.
The good saint is long used to such ingratitude, and all the better for it. If there is a complaint, it is his blatant discrimination in the matter of which he decides to bestow his great favours on. Invariably, the occupants of the miracle wheelchair spaces are those bearings the distinctive yellow number plates of Northern Ireland or British motorists.
But then it would be churlish to begrudge a visitor the miraculous cure to be found south of the Border. Think of the benefit which-properly marketed-the car-parking miracles would be to the tourist trade.
Respectfully yours,
…………………..
Tom Chambers
“The Billy Ranch”
Knocknageeha
Newport
Co. Mayo
There are, as they say, patron saints and patron saints. Some famous, some not so much; some outstanding in they’re chosen departments, monopolists of miraculous favours.
St. Anthony for things lost; St. Jude for hopeless cases; St. Blaise for the sore throat; St. Christopher for the traveller-we each of us have our own favourite.
But surely, if there is one who has been ignored, neglected and unknown (as far as I am aware) patron saint of car parks. His identify may be a secret, but his works are the essence of heavenly intervention.
Have you not noticed, those past few weeks, the recurrent miracles played out in the public car parks of town and city? Disabled drivers (for what else can they be) gently manoeuvre their vehicles into the only unoccupied spaces in town, those marked with the wheelchair logo. Minutes later, they can be seen heading off to the shops, agile and able-bodied and fleet of foot, just like you or me, their crutches and Zimmer frames thrown to one side (or somewhere), their wheelchairs no longer needed.
But where is their gratitude? Is there a leper among them to come back and say thanks? You will scan the Thanksgiving small ads all you like, but you will see no mention of thanks to that mild and good saint who has restored their crippled bodies to full and instant health.
The good saint is long used to such ingratitude, and all the better for it. If there is a complaint, it is his blatant discrimination in the matter of which he decides to bestow his great favours on. Invariably, the occupants of the miracle wheelchair spaces are those bearings the distinctive yellow number plates of Northern Ireland or British motorists.
But then it would be churlish to begrudge a visitor the miraculous cure to be found south of the Border. Think of the benefit which-properly marketed-the car-parking miracles would be to the tourist trade.
Respectfully yours,
…………………..
Tom Chambers
“The Billy Ranch”
Knocknageeha
Newport
Co. Mayo
“The Celtic Tiger”
Can anyone tell me as to why it is so difficult to have a basic need catered to regarding accessibility in Ireland? In this day and age you would think firstly that pure and utter logic would prevail, but with my experiences, and with the so called "Celtic Tiger" we are years away from being a society that open doors.
Sorry, regulars only !
Yeah I know, yet another wheelchair story about how hard done by the disabled are. Yes but this time with a twist and the odd flavour of madness.Let me start by giving a synopsis as to the type of person who actually took time out to clear his mind of the everyday hypocrisy a wheelchair user has to deal with (note that I stated user and not bound, I am quiet attached to my chair when getting around but I tend to leave it outside the covers when I sleep).I don’t mind in the least as to how I would be classed, it differs from generation to generation, and to an elderly person I would be classed as an invalid, personally I think myself to be a valid person but hey, those were the times so you had to roll with it. Today, people get too hung up on what they perceive themselves to be and what category they file into. I suppose some people feel they need to belong to a group whether they are disabled or not, but who among us doesn’t suffer from one form of a disability, be it obvious like mine or the able bodied male in his pin stripped suit who has been rendered impotent due to the pressures of work. Personally, I’d prefer my chair.So let’s get back on track, I’m a 62 year old male, paraplegic, March ’81 was an eye opener for me, I found out that I actually owned a spinal cord. It didn’t seem very important at the time but I like many others found out that when that cord gets damaged, it can change a life in an instant. My first experience with the consultant in the rehab, I even learned as to the different levels on the spinal column as he briefly muttered you’re a T7 and walked away. When you’re in a position like that, you find it to be “a hard tablet to swallow” but I considered myself as lucky, with the amount of damage that was done, I was very lucky to be breathing, although still at this time it was with the aid of a machine, but I knew it wouldn’t be long before I tasted the sweet burning of my lungs as I inhaled my first cigarette. Some people never learn.I always had strong will power but never acted upon it, so I thought it’s now or never. I am no different to many spinal injuries who took the bull by the horns, so I dusted myself off and got on with life, no self pity, no chip on my shoulder, no “why me?”. The way I look it is “why not me” it can happen to anyone in a heart beat, and it doesn’t discriminate between rich or poor, male or female, young or old. You just got to play the cards you were dealt and make the most of it. I am also of the view which some people find harsh is that some people with disabilities really irritate me, now of course if I was able to walk on shoe leather, to make a statement like that I would be classed as some form of a bigot, I on the other hand have seen it first hand as to how much whining someone can do purely because they think society in general should stand up and take notice. I got news for ye lads; society doesn’t give two fiddlers, so get your balls back and move on.I’ve heard it all over the years, even from the mouth of an MEP who while on his visit to the rehab said and I quote “want anything done lads regarding any disability issue, then don’t come to me” so, you see whether you are in a chair or not, it doesn’t give you an automatic right to be a self righteous pain in the rectum. Yes people with disabilities have rights, as does anyone else in this god forsaken country. But what is the point in having all these rights. It reminds me of when I was given my free travel pass, what a load of good that was, I wasn’t able to get on a bus, to try and gain access to a train was like Bertie Ahern trying to get a sentence out without sticking both feet in his mouth.Access, now this is a word that nobody seems to understand. As a wheelchair user this is an issue that grounds a lot of ideas as to how you might want to spend an evening out. I, a drinker don’t frequent public houses very often, for two reasons, the first is that there is rarely an occasion when I would be able to gain access to the toilets, and I think the barman would be offended when I go to the counter and ask for an empty pint glass and then give it back to him full. The second reason is that I’m a magnet for the typical male who got up that morning and decided “today I’m going to the pub and I’m not leaving there till I’ve drank my weight in beer”. As he finds it quiet difficult to focus, he staggers his way towards me and feels the need to spend some time with me and tell me how marvellous I am because I can push myself, I am also subjected to his three second memory span, and then of course he decides to test the theory “push it and it moves”. One of the funniest regarding access I have came across is a pub Dublin which actually has a ramp leading up to an eight inch step, try figure that one out.I like to try and go places that I don’t get too much bother. So I decided to try the local cinema, notice I said “try”. But at least if I wanted to see a movie there was a good chance it was to be viewed with comfort. I thought to myself at the time “this is 2007, surely this will be done right” Yeah and then all the kings horses and all the kings men couldn’t put humpty dumpy together again. What a farce, I had plenty of access into the building. Well that didn’t go to plan as the seating area for wheelchair users is in the centre of the isle. Now my question is, where on gods green earth is the logic in that? Not to mention the fact that being a six footer in a chair and towering over people beside me, I automatically become a nightmare for the person in the back row with his camcorder stuck between his legs. Have any of these developers got an IQ over seventy? Wouldn’t it be a logical step to take to have a wheelchair user taken onboard, purely as a consultant? People in suits designing buildings and giving their own interputation of access, isn’t the way to do it. Are they under the illusion that we are grateful for the day out and going to the cinema itself should be enough, sure didn’t he get out for the day anyway, isn’t he great, god bless him.Now if you ever fancy a weekend away and decide to book a B&B, well enough said. Reason why is because there are no B&B’s that truly cater for people with disabilities, yes I know one has opened in Munster but that seems to have a seasonal opening and if someone doesn’t want to cater all year round then personally I’m not going to bother giving my custom, see I have just exercised one of my rights. So the majority of times I would use a Hotel, well easier said than done, some places when you ring up and book a room and state “I would like a room with wheelchair access and also for the en suite to be wheelchair friendly”. Done and dusted, hotel booked for the weekend, into the car and off we go. Arrive at the hotel, check in, toddle off up to the room, and I let curiosity get the better of me and take the leap forward to check out the en suite.Then reality sets in, I’m away for the weekend, with absolutely no way of bathing properly, I’m facing a room that you could barely swing a cat in, a bath that’s not accessible and since I don’t bring a mirror with me, shaving becomes difficult as the mirror is a foot above my head. Come on people it’s not rocket science. One group of hotels I enjoy frequenting are the quality choice hotels, when you ask for a wheelchair accessible room, you get exactly what you need, but I do have one complaint regarding the en suite, although it is quiet spacious and actually even has a roll in shower which I was pleasantly surprised to see, there was one main ingredient missing “the shower chair”. How am I to shower? How am I to get from the bed to the shower? Use my wheelchair? It doesn’t take much for people who are in business which cater to the public to get advice in these matters, but we are the minority and that has been proven when you see the amount of rooms any given hotel out there has so called adapted for the disabled.My least pleasant stay would have been in a hotel in Co. Cork. That was a joke, wheelchair accessible room was upstairs, only thing was that the lift didn’t stop on that floor. So you had to go through the back yard, where all the crap was kept, then you had to wait to make sure a member of staff had the keys for the back door to gain access to the “wheelchair accessible” room, but that really didn’t matter as you could use the time well by warming up before you tackled the ramp leading up to the back door, and as you can see there is no point in going into more detail as to what this hotel catered for, but I did have the pleasure in filling out a comment card I was so graciously handed upon leaving, Personally I think there just isn’t enough room on them cards to really elaborate your true feelings.
Before I go; I must exercise my vote even though I am informed once again that my local polling station is inaccessible and I will have to use another station (N.S.) “So much for education” that has a makeshift ramp around the back of the buildingYes I know “able bodied have feelings too”. But the sooner this country gets with the times the better it will be for all of us.
Tom Chambers
Disability Campaigner
“The Billy Ranch”
Newport.
Can anyone tell me as to why it is so difficult to have a basic need catered to regarding accessibility in Ireland? In this day and age you would think firstly that pure and utter logic would prevail, but with my experiences, and with the so called "Celtic Tiger" we are years away from being a society that open doors.
Sorry, regulars only !
Yeah I know, yet another wheelchair story about how hard done by the disabled are. Yes but this time with a twist and the odd flavour of madness.Let me start by giving a synopsis as to the type of person who actually took time out to clear his mind of the everyday hypocrisy a wheelchair user has to deal with (note that I stated user and not bound, I am quiet attached to my chair when getting around but I tend to leave it outside the covers when I sleep).I don’t mind in the least as to how I would be classed, it differs from generation to generation, and to an elderly person I would be classed as an invalid, personally I think myself to be a valid person but hey, those were the times so you had to roll with it. Today, people get too hung up on what they perceive themselves to be and what category they file into. I suppose some people feel they need to belong to a group whether they are disabled or not, but who among us doesn’t suffer from one form of a disability, be it obvious like mine or the able bodied male in his pin stripped suit who has been rendered impotent due to the pressures of work. Personally, I’d prefer my chair.So let’s get back on track, I’m a 62 year old male, paraplegic, March ’81 was an eye opener for me, I found out that I actually owned a spinal cord. It didn’t seem very important at the time but I like many others found out that when that cord gets damaged, it can change a life in an instant. My first experience with the consultant in the rehab, I even learned as to the different levels on the spinal column as he briefly muttered you’re a T7 and walked away. When you’re in a position like that, you find it to be “a hard tablet to swallow” but I considered myself as lucky, with the amount of damage that was done, I was very lucky to be breathing, although still at this time it was with the aid of a machine, but I knew it wouldn’t be long before I tasted the sweet burning of my lungs as I inhaled my first cigarette. Some people never learn.I always had strong will power but never acted upon it, so I thought it’s now or never. I am no different to many spinal injuries who took the bull by the horns, so I dusted myself off and got on with life, no self pity, no chip on my shoulder, no “why me?”. The way I look it is “why not me” it can happen to anyone in a heart beat, and it doesn’t discriminate between rich or poor, male or female, young or old. You just got to play the cards you were dealt and make the most of it. I am also of the view which some people find harsh is that some people with disabilities really irritate me, now of course if I was able to walk on shoe leather, to make a statement like that I would be classed as some form of a bigot, I on the other hand have seen it first hand as to how much whining someone can do purely because they think society in general should stand up and take notice. I got news for ye lads; society doesn’t give two fiddlers, so get your balls back and move on.I’ve heard it all over the years, even from the mouth of an MEP who while on his visit to the rehab said and I quote “want anything done lads regarding any disability issue, then don’t come to me” so, you see whether you are in a chair or not, it doesn’t give you an automatic right to be a self righteous pain in the rectum. Yes people with disabilities have rights, as does anyone else in this god forsaken country. But what is the point in having all these rights. It reminds me of when I was given my free travel pass, what a load of good that was, I wasn’t able to get on a bus, to try and gain access to a train was like Bertie Ahern trying to get a sentence out without sticking both feet in his mouth.Access, now this is a word that nobody seems to understand. As a wheelchair user this is an issue that grounds a lot of ideas as to how you might want to spend an evening out. I, a drinker don’t frequent public houses very often, for two reasons, the first is that there is rarely an occasion when I would be able to gain access to the toilets, and I think the barman would be offended when I go to the counter and ask for an empty pint glass and then give it back to him full. The second reason is that I’m a magnet for the typical male who got up that morning and decided “today I’m going to the pub and I’m not leaving there till I’ve drank my weight in beer”. As he finds it quiet difficult to focus, he staggers his way towards me and feels the need to spend some time with me and tell me how marvellous I am because I can push myself, I am also subjected to his three second memory span, and then of course he decides to test the theory “push it and it moves”. One of the funniest regarding access I have came across is a pub Dublin which actually has a ramp leading up to an eight inch step, try figure that one out.I like to try and go places that I don’t get too much bother. So I decided to try the local cinema, notice I said “try”. But at least if I wanted to see a movie there was a good chance it was to be viewed with comfort. I thought to myself at the time “this is 2007, surely this will be done right” Yeah and then all the kings horses and all the kings men couldn’t put humpty dumpy together again. What a farce, I had plenty of access into the building. Well that didn’t go to plan as the seating area for wheelchair users is in the centre of the isle. Now my question is, where on gods green earth is the logic in that? Not to mention the fact that being a six footer in a chair and towering over people beside me, I automatically become a nightmare for the person in the back row with his camcorder stuck between his legs. Have any of these developers got an IQ over seventy? Wouldn’t it be a logical step to take to have a wheelchair user taken onboard, purely as a consultant? People in suits designing buildings and giving their own interputation of access, isn’t the way to do it. Are they under the illusion that we are grateful for the day out and going to the cinema itself should be enough, sure didn’t he get out for the day anyway, isn’t he great, god bless him.Now if you ever fancy a weekend away and decide to book a B&B, well enough said. Reason why is because there are no B&B’s that truly cater for people with disabilities, yes I know one has opened in Munster but that seems to have a seasonal opening and if someone doesn’t want to cater all year round then personally I’m not going to bother giving my custom, see I have just exercised one of my rights. So the majority of times I would use a Hotel, well easier said than done, some places when you ring up and book a room and state “I would like a room with wheelchair access and also for the en suite to be wheelchair friendly”. Done and dusted, hotel booked for the weekend, into the car and off we go. Arrive at the hotel, check in, toddle off up to the room, and I let curiosity get the better of me and take the leap forward to check out the en suite.Then reality sets in, I’m away for the weekend, with absolutely no way of bathing properly, I’m facing a room that you could barely swing a cat in, a bath that’s not accessible and since I don’t bring a mirror with me, shaving becomes difficult as the mirror is a foot above my head. Come on people it’s not rocket science. One group of hotels I enjoy frequenting are the quality choice hotels, when you ask for a wheelchair accessible room, you get exactly what you need, but I do have one complaint regarding the en suite, although it is quiet spacious and actually even has a roll in shower which I was pleasantly surprised to see, there was one main ingredient missing “the shower chair”. How am I to shower? How am I to get from the bed to the shower? Use my wheelchair? It doesn’t take much for people who are in business which cater to the public to get advice in these matters, but we are the minority and that has been proven when you see the amount of rooms any given hotel out there has so called adapted for the disabled.My least pleasant stay would have been in a hotel in Co. Cork. That was a joke, wheelchair accessible room was upstairs, only thing was that the lift didn’t stop on that floor. So you had to go through the back yard, where all the crap was kept, then you had to wait to make sure a member of staff had the keys for the back door to gain access to the “wheelchair accessible” room, but that really didn’t matter as you could use the time well by warming up before you tackled the ramp leading up to the back door, and as you can see there is no point in going into more detail as to what this hotel catered for, but I did have the pleasure in filling out a comment card I was so graciously handed upon leaving, Personally I think there just isn’t enough room on them cards to really elaborate your true feelings.
Before I go; I must exercise my vote even though I am informed once again that my local polling station is inaccessible and I will have to use another station (N.S.) “So much for education” that has a makeshift ramp around the back of the buildingYes I know “able bodied have feelings too”. But the sooner this country gets with the times the better it will be for all of us.
Tom Chambers
Disability Campaigner
“The Billy Ranch”
Newport.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Martin says YES to Lisbon Treaty
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Cllr Keith Martin's Blog
Lisbon video competition
Posted: 13 May 2008 08:05 AM CDT
The Labour Party wants students both 2nd and 3rd level to create short YouTube videos to engage the Irish public in learning about and supporting the Lisbon Treaty.
Students of all levels of familiarity with video production are encouraged to produce a one-minute short illustrating why they support the Lisbon Treaty. The style of videos can be humorous, such as Australia's hilarious and pointed "What have the Unions ever done for us?" (check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=184NTV2CE_c) or simply factual.
The Labour Party is offering a €1,000 prize for the best entry promoting a 'Yes' vote on the Lisbon Treaty. All interested second- and third-level students are greatly encouraged to make a submission.
For more information on what the treaty will do and its merits, visit www.labour.ie/lisbonreformtreaty/.
All submissions may be sent to http://premium.ireland.com/scripts/mail/compose.mail?compose=1&.ob=74464c8dcb2a7b97935b882e71bea74ab5859be9&composeto=campaigns@labour.ie&composecc=&subject=&body= in .WMV, .AVI, .MOV and .MPG formats (any format that is compatible with YouTube). The deadline for entries is June 1st.
Labour's Lisbon Campaign
Posted: 13 May 2008 08:01 AM CDT
Labour's campaign
Eight reasons to vote Yes, according to the Labour Party.
Lisbon promotes our values;
Lisbon strengthens social rights;
Lisbon respects Ireland's neutrality;
Lisbon deepens the rights of citizens;
Lisbon fights global poverty;
Lisbon enhances the role of the Dáil;
Lisbon protects public services;
Lisbon tackles climate change.
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Cllr Keith Martin's Blog
Lisbon video competition
Posted: 13 May 2008 08:05 AM CDT
The Labour Party wants students both 2nd and 3rd level to create short YouTube videos to engage the Irish public in learning about and supporting the Lisbon Treaty.
Students of all levels of familiarity with video production are encouraged to produce a one-minute short illustrating why they support the Lisbon Treaty. The style of videos can be humorous, such as Australia's hilarious and pointed "What have the Unions ever done for us?" (check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=184NTV2CE_c) or simply factual.
The Labour Party is offering a €1,000 prize for the best entry promoting a 'Yes' vote on the Lisbon Treaty. All interested second- and third-level students are greatly encouraged to make a submission.
For more information on what the treaty will do and its merits, visit www.labour.ie/lisbonreformtreaty/.
All submissions may be sent to http://premium.ireland.com/scripts/mail/compose.mail?compose=1&.ob=74464c8dcb2a7b97935b882e71bea74ab5859be9&composeto=campaigns@labour.ie&composecc=&subject=&body= in .WMV, .AVI, .MOV and .MPG formats (any format that is compatible with YouTube). The deadline for entries is June 1st.
Labour's Lisbon Campaign
Posted: 13 May 2008 08:01 AM CDT
Labour's campaign
Eight reasons to vote Yes, according to the Labour Party.
Lisbon promotes our values;
Lisbon strengthens social rights;
Lisbon respects Ireland's neutrality;
Lisbon deepens the rights of citizens;
Lisbon fights global poverty;
Lisbon enhances the role of the Dáil;
Lisbon protects public services;
Lisbon tackles climate change.
You are subscribed to email updates from Councillor Keith Martin's website To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.
Email Delivery powered by FeedBurner
Inbox too full? Subscribe to the feed version of Councillor Keith Martin's website in a feed reader.
If you prefer to unsubscribe via postal mail, write to: Councillor Keith Martin's website, c/o FeedBurner, 20 W Kinzie, 9th Floor, Chicago IL USA 60610
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Friday, May 09, 2008
BARCELONA DECLARATION
DECLARATION
On the occasion of the European Congress "The City and the Disabled", held in Barcelona, Spain, on 23 and 24 March 1995, the undersigning cities assume:
1) That the Dignity and Worth of a person are conditions inherent to all human beings, regardless of sex, creed, age and capabilities.
2) That Deficiency and Disability, according to the concepts set forth in the United Nations' World Action Program for the Disabled, are matters that affect society as a whole, not only individual persons and their family members.
3) That Disability is a dynamic concept, resulting from the interaction between individual skills and the conditions of the surroundings in which such skills are manifested. It is, thus, the responsibility of the community and of its social organization to promote more favorable conditions for the full development of persons, avoiding or removing all causes that hinder or prevent such development.
4) That the City, as a common form of social organization used in all the diverse cultures throughout our planet, must equip itself with the necessary means and resources to promote equal opportunities and the well-being and participation of all its inhabitants.
5) That the limits between "normality" and disability are ill-defined, and therefore it is necessary to consider
the differences between citizens as a part of the diversity of which society is made up, designing services and structures so that they can be used by everyone, and making unnecessary, in most cases, the existence of specific elements for disabled persons.
Therefore, the undersigning cities adopt the agreements
that hereinafter shall be known as the Declaration of "Cities and the Disabled" and they hereby agree to:
a) Promote the-Declaration of "Cities and the Disabled" in various national and international forums, fostering the maximum adherence possible to its principles and premises.
b) Initiate processes of collaboration allowing for full application of the agreements reflected in the Declaration of "Cities and the Disabled", garnering the necessary cooperation from higher territorial entities.
c) Establish communication channels between the various cities to stimulate and support advances in the promotion of equal opportunities for their disabled citizens, to promote consistency in information, especially with regard to signs and symbols, and, in general, to promote the harmonization of municipal policies aimed at these citizens.
And therefore, they declare:
PREAMBLE
That disabled persons are fully entitled members of the communities in which they reside, and their condition is acknowledged in various international conventions, especially in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Pact for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Pact for Civil and Political Rights, the Convention on Children's Rights, the Declaration of Rights for the Disabled, and the Declaration of Rights for Mentally Retarded Persons.
That disabled persons are entitled to receive attention for their individual and social needs in the context of the provisions for the general population, as well as to promote their development as persons, allowing them to interrelate with the rest of the population, respecting their individual circumstances.
That disabled persons are entitled to technical and social aid which may minimize the consequences of their disabilities, and to be the beneficiaries of policies ensuring equal opportunities, a right upheld by Resolution 48/96, dated 4 March 1994, of the General Assembly of the United Nations regarding "Unified Rules on Equal Opportunities for Disabled Persons".
That disabled persons are entitled to equal opportunities as citizens recognized in a society which is plural and respectful of the difference and diversity of the individuals who make them up. They are also entitled to participate in the social affairs of their community without restriction and to the enjoyment of the welfare that the development of this community may generate.
AGREEMENTS
I) The Municipal Governments will promote better awareness of disabled persons, their rights, their needs, their potentials and their contributions among the general public.
II) The Municipal Governments will, within their area of competence, ensure the disabled persons' right to be different, and their right to receive personalized attention depending on their needs.
III) The Municipal Governments will promote and support the diffusion of informative campaigns that promote a real image of disabled persons, free from bias and prejudice, and, in general, stimulate the integration of disabled persons and the normalization of their relations with their physical and social surroundings which may allow them to optimize their relationship with them.
IV) The Municipal Governments will, within their area of competence, establish systems to provide efficient information to disabled citizens regarding matters which affect them and, especially, promote awareness of their rights and obligations, as well as the provisions established to promote their equalitarian development, promoting the necessary coordination between the different public administrations in order to provide improved coordination of their respective actions.
V) The Municipal Governments will ensure the access of disabled persons to information generated by the Community.
VI) The Municipal Governments will, within their area of competence, promote and ensure the access of disabled persons to cultural, sporting, and recreational activities and, in general, to the participatory coexistence with the community.
VII) The Municipal Governments will ensure the access of disabled persons to general and, if necessary, special services, in the fields of health care, rehabilitation, education, work and social services when these fall within their area of competence. They will also encourage observance of this principle when such services are offered by other public or private organizations.
VIII) The Municipal Governments will establish support services tending to the daily needs of disabled persons in order to make it possible for them to remain in their family homes and thus prevent institutionalization in health-care facilities. In the rendering of these services both personal decisions and the right to privacy of the user will be respected and upheld.
IX) The Municipal Governments will promote systems facilitating access to housing according to the personal and economic circumstances of the disabled.
X) The Municipal Governments will, within their area of competence, adopt measures towards the necessary adaptation of urban spaces, buildings and services of all types, in order to allow full use by disabled persons.
XI) The Municipal Governments will adopt the necessary measures ensuring free mobility of disabled persons throughout the city, and special care will be taken to adapt regular means of passenger transport, and will establish, for those disabled persons who by reason of their disability are denied access, alternative services and special economic conditions to ensure their mobility on equal terms with the rest of the population.
XII) The Municipal Governments will establish measures to ensure the performance of studies and analyses which may provide new elements aimed at improving the quality of life of disabled persons, and promote prevention, detection, diagnostic and early-detection programs.
XIII) The Municipal Governments will, within their area of competence, promote and ensure the participation of disabled persons and their representative organizations in decision-making processes dealing with affairs which, either generally or specifically, may affect them.
XIV) The Municipal Governments will enter into cooperation agreements and conventions with city organizations representing disabled persons, in order to cooperate in their activities and agree to overall and consistent actions.
XV) The Municipal Governments will establish permanent skill-providing and training systems aimed at city personnel in order to ensure adequate comprehension and attention to the needs of the disabled.
XVI) The Municipal Governments, within their area of competence and in cooperation with their city's organizations for disabled persons, will draw up action plans consistent with this Declaration. Such plans must include execution and evaluation deadlines.
XVII) The Municipal Governments will adopt measures tending towards the unification and universalization of rules and regulations, provisions, and the adoption of signal systems and adequate media vehicles for each type of disability, facilitating their full integration in society and in order to make their conditions fully equal to those of the rest of the citizenry. In order to advance in the fulfillment of this goal, the undersigning Municipal Governments will promote, through their international municipal organizations, the passing of rules on the part of pertinent European organizations, establishing the minimum requirements that Municipal Governments must take into account in terms of objectives, programs and budgets making possible the accomplishment of the agreements in this Declaration within a reasonable period of time.
Barcelona, 24 March 1995
On the occasion of the European Congress "The City and the Disabled", held in Barcelona, Spain, on 23 and 24 March 1995, the undersigning cities assume:
1) That the Dignity and Worth of a person are conditions inherent to all human beings, regardless of sex, creed, age and capabilities.
2) That Deficiency and Disability, according to the concepts set forth in the United Nations' World Action Program for the Disabled, are matters that affect society as a whole, not only individual persons and their family members.
3) That Disability is a dynamic concept, resulting from the interaction between individual skills and the conditions of the surroundings in which such skills are manifested. It is, thus, the responsibility of the community and of its social organization to promote more favorable conditions for the full development of persons, avoiding or removing all causes that hinder or prevent such development.
4) That the City, as a common form of social organization used in all the diverse cultures throughout our planet, must equip itself with the necessary means and resources to promote equal opportunities and the well-being and participation of all its inhabitants.
5) That the limits between "normality" and disability are ill-defined, and therefore it is necessary to consider
the differences between citizens as a part of the diversity of which society is made up, designing services and structures so that they can be used by everyone, and making unnecessary, in most cases, the existence of specific elements for disabled persons.
Therefore, the undersigning cities adopt the agreements
that hereinafter shall be known as the Declaration of "Cities and the Disabled" and they hereby agree to:
a) Promote the-Declaration of "Cities and the Disabled" in various national and international forums, fostering the maximum adherence possible to its principles and premises.
b) Initiate processes of collaboration allowing for full application of the agreements reflected in the Declaration of "Cities and the Disabled", garnering the necessary cooperation from higher territorial entities.
c) Establish communication channels between the various cities to stimulate and support advances in the promotion of equal opportunities for their disabled citizens, to promote consistency in information, especially with regard to signs and symbols, and, in general, to promote the harmonization of municipal policies aimed at these citizens.
And therefore, they declare:
PREAMBLE
That disabled persons are fully entitled members of the communities in which they reside, and their condition is acknowledged in various international conventions, especially in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Pact for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Pact for Civil and Political Rights, the Convention on Children's Rights, the Declaration of Rights for the Disabled, and the Declaration of Rights for Mentally Retarded Persons.
That disabled persons are entitled to receive attention for their individual and social needs in the context of the provisions for the general population, as well as to promote their development as persons, allowing them to interrelate with the rest of the population, respecting their individual circumstances.
That disabled persons are entitled to technical and social aid which may minimize the consequences of their disabilities, and to be the beneficiaries of policies ensuring equal opportunities, a right upheld by Resolution 48/96, dated 4 March 1994, of the General Assembly of the United Nations regarding "Unified Rules on Equal Opportunities for Disabled Persons".
That disabled persons are entitled to equal opportunities as citizens recognized in a society which is plural and respectful of the difference and diversity of the individuals who make them up. They are also entitled to participate in the social affairs of their community without restriction and to the enjoyment of the welfare that the development of this community may generate.
AGREEMENTS
I) The Municipal Governments will promote better awareness of disabled persons, their rights, their needs, their potentials and their contributions among the general public.
II) The Municipal Governments will, within their area of competence, ensure the disabled persons' right to be different, and their right to receive personalized attention depending on their needs.
III) The Municipal Governments will promote and support the diffusion of informative campaigns that promote a real image of disabled persons, free from bias and prejudice, and, in general, stimulate the integration of disabled persons and the normalization of their relations with their physical and social surroundings which may allow them to optimize their relationship with them.
IV) The Municipal Governments will, within their area of competence, establish systems to provide efficient information to disabled citizens regarding matters which affect them and, especially, promote awareness of their rights and obligations, as well as the provisions established to promote their equalitarian development, promoting the necessary coordination between the different public administrations in order to provide improved coordination of their respective actions.
V) The Municipal Governments will ensure the access of disabled persons to information generated by the Community.
VI) The Municipal Governments will, within their area of competence, promote and ensure the access of disabled persons to cultural, sporting, and recreational activities and, in general, to the participatory coexistence with the community.
VII) The Municipal Governments will ensure the access of disabled persons to general and, if necessary, special services, in the fields of health care, rehabilitation, education, work and social services when these fall within their area of competence. They will also encourage observance of this principle when such services are offered by other public or private organizations.
VIII) The Municipal Governments will establish support services tending to the daily needs of disabled persons in order to make it possible for them to remain in their family homes and thus prevent institutionalization in health-care facilities. In the rendering of these services both personal decisions and the right to privacy of the user will be respected and upheld.
IX) The Municipal Governments will promote systems facilitating access to housing according to the personal and economic circumstances of the disabled.
X) The Municipal Governments will, within their area of competence, adopt measures towards the necessary adaptation of urban spaces, buildings and services of all types, in order to allow full use by disabled persons.
XI) The Municipal Governments will adopt the necessary measures ensuring free mobility of disabled persons throughout the city, and special care will be taken to adapt regular means of passenger transport, and will establish, for those disabled persons who by reason of their disability are denied access, alternative services and special economic conditions to ensure their mobility on equal terms with the rest of the population.
XII) The Municipal Governments will establish measures to ensure the performance of studies and analyses which may provide new elements aimed at improving the quality of life of disabled persons, and promote prevention, detection, diagnostic and early-detection programs.
XIII) The Municipal Governments will, within their area of competence, promote and ensure the participation of disabled persons and their representative organizations in decision-making processes dealing with affairs which, either generally or specifically, may affect them.
XIV) The Municipal Governments will enter into cooperation agreements and conventions with city organizations representing disabled persons, in order to cooperate in their activities and agree to overall and consistent actions.
XV) The Municipal Governments will establish permanent skill-providing and training systems aimed at city personnel in order to ensure adequate comprehension and attention to the needs of the disabled.
XVI) The Municipal Governments, within their area of competence and in cooperation with their city's organizations for disabled persons, will draw up action plans consistent with this Declaration. Such plans must include execution and evaluation deadlines.
XVII) The Municipal Governments will adopt measures tending towards the unification and universalization of rules and regulations, provisions, and the adoption of signal systems and adequate media vehicles for each type of disability, facilitating their full integration in society and in order to make their conditions fully equal to those of the rest of the citizenry. In order to advance in the fulfillment of this goal, the undersigning Municipal Governments will promote, through their international municipal organizations, the passing of rules on the part of pertinent European organizations, establishing the minimum requirements that Municipal Governments must take into account in terms of objectives, programs and budgets making possible the accomplishment of the agreements in this Declaration within a reasonable period of time.
Barcelona, 24 March 1995
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
An uphill chalenge and up for it
It’s summertime but the living’ isn’t as easy as it might seem to be. An evening sun settles on the streets of Ballina.
Its Thursday and Tom Chambers has just arrived in to town from Newport a man on a mission, he comes laden with leaflets. Documentation outlining the lofty ambitions that the 1995 Barcelona declaration imposed on local authorities across the continent in relation to the right of people with disabilities to equal opportunities. Correspondence exchanged with various government departments, mayo County Council, and Ballina town Council, dating back to 1998,on issues that have not gone away. He brings cuttings from newspapers and excerpts from parliamentary questions time in Dail Eireann.
He comes accompanied by local town councillor, Peter Clarke. Prior to last summers elections Sinn Fein candidate for Ballina Town Council approached Tom Chambers with a view to placing access for the disabled on the election canvass. He followed up this commitment by partaking in an audit of public buildings in town to access the problems faced by people like Tom Chambers, who is wheel-chair bound. This evening the pair are back on the beaten path.
In February of this year, Tom Chambers contacted 31 councillors’ in Mayo by e-mail, Introducing himself as an access officer and disability campaigner, and inviting each to join his endeavour to implement the Barcelona Declaration. His documentation records four replies ,three from the Westport electoral area, and one from Cllr Clarke in the Ballina region.
Tom Chambers refers to a paper cutting in the midst of his paper trail, an article dating back to October 2003when Ballina councillors “moved” to make their town more accessible for wheelchair users with the formation of a sub-committee to address the issue.
“local representatives’ were expressing their views about the town, but what have they done to alleviate the fears of the persons who wrote to them, ”asks Tom Chambers, a wheelchair user for 25 years.
“I would put it to them that if they are to implement the Barcelona Declaration, Wheelchair users should be included from day one ,not invited when the so called experts have done a bit of work.”
During the next two-and-a half hours, as the perspective of a wheelchair user in Ballina is painstaking revealed Tom Chambers will point out to umpteen situations where the “experts” have failed to meet his requirements as a wheelchair user.
“it seems to me that engineers and architects are often not signing off on work that planning permission has been secured for” he says in exasperated tones at one juncture.
He has parked on one-way O Rahilly street at the disabled drivers space close to where Peter Clarke’s seafood business is located. Immediately the absence of uniform parking bay for disabled drivers is readily identifiable in most of Europe with its distinctive blue background and white logo at its centre.
Tonight that parking space is vacant. Its not always the case. Two years ago the department of Transport indicated to Tom chambers that it would consider the inclusion of illegal parking in designated disabled persons parking bays in the penalty points scheme.
“this would have to be justified on grounds of road safety and it would limit enforcement in that if it was a penalty point offence it could only be enforced by An Garda Siochana,” Tom Chambers says, producing the letter from (then)minister Seamus Brennan’s private secretary. From the same file he sequesters documentation received from the Minister of the Environment in June 2004 in reply to an enquiry by fine Gael T D Michael Ring about special funding to provide for footpath adaptation to provide crossings and dish kerbs for wheel chair users.” the selection of works to be funded from grants is entirely a matter for the relevant local authority,” come the reply.
Superbly versed in this sector ,Tom Chambers understands that € 350,000 has been set aside for 2005 roads programme in the Ballina electoral area. Of this 44 percent is ring-fenced for work on paths. How much of this money has been invested in Ballina’s pathways thus far ,he asks.
From the parking space closer to the bottom of O Rahilly Street, Tom Chambers commences the steep haul towards the top of the street where he can gain access to the footpath. Eventually ,as the going get tough, he has to request the assistance of Peter Clarke. Tom Chambers has completed the Dublin City Marathon on four occasions. Turning on to Bury Street it is a monumental struggle to keep his chair on the footpath which narrows alarmingly on the corner. Again some tightrope balancing is required.
At the disabled parking spaces at diamonds Car Park off Bury street, he highlights the crucial need for bays on either side of disabled parking space to allow the disabled driver the space to get out of the car on either side.
At the entrance to Market Lane a sign overhead reads ,”Access to Town Centre”, this is irony in its mendacious form .the negation of Market Lane ,a relatively new shopping district, is nothing short of a nightmare for the wheelchair user. A veritable downhill maze, it leaves tom Chambers skidding out of control in places, reaching for handrails which are either out of reach or dislodged from their concrete foundations. A gradient of 1;20 is recommended in such a situation as are a second ,lower handrail,75mm raised kerbs on open sides and slip -resistant surfaces.” imagine what this would be like on a wet day “ observes tom Chambers. One cringes at the possibilities.
The shape of the handrails here are appropriate and properly sized ,but it’s a different story further down the street where flat, rust-friendly handrails offer no assistance on only one side of a ramp for wheelchair users outside prominent business. Outside Ballina Civic offices, Tom Chambers again struggles to maintain control on the footpath’s uneven layout, and eventually has to call Peter Clarke again. The disabled parking space her is hardly easy to negotiate either .the driver must get out in to the flow of traffic ,and a water drain inhibits the location of the wheelchair. To gain access to the footpath from here, the wheelchair user must return-in the face of traffic-to the traffic lights some 75yards away, around the corner at Dunne’s Stores. I have been approached by people living in Ballina with disabilities and asked to highlight the everyday problems that they are facing. Tom Chambers explains why we are here tonight
From his library of information, he finally produces the ‘disability proofing template for local Government, a hand book issued by the National Disability Authority on the implementation of the Barcelona Declaration
“the ultimate aim and potential of the disability proofing template is to facilitate local authorities in creating a more inclusive society for everyone,” the introduction reads.
“In fulfilling the Declaration Agreement each local authority undertakes to raise disability awareness and to engage in consultative process with disabled people.”
The introduction concludes with definition of disability in this context. It is “the disadvantage or restriction of activity caused by a contempary social organisation which takes little or no account of people (with disabilities)and thus excludes them from participation in the mainstream of social activities”. and right now, Tom Chambers is feeling more than a little bit left out . But he’s not going away.
Its Thursday and Tom Chambers has just arrived in to town from Newport a man on a mission, he comes laden with leaflets. Documentation outlining the lofty ambitions that the 1995 Barcelona declaration imposed on local authorities across the continent in relation to the right of people with disabilities to equal opportunities. Correspondence exchanged with various government departments, mayo County Council, and Ballina town Council, dating back to 1998,on issues that have not gone away. He brings cuttings from newspapers and excerpts from parliamentary questions time in Dail Eireann.
He comes accompanied by local town councillor, Peter Clarke. Prior to last summers elections Sinn Fein candidate for Ballina Town Council approached Tom Chambers with a view to placing access for the disabled on the election canvass. He followed up this commitment by partaking in an audit of public buildings in town to access the problems faced by people like Tom Chambers, who is wheel-chair bound. This evening the pair are back on the beaten path.
In February of this year, Tom Chambers contacted 31 councillors’ in Mayo by e-mail, Introducing himself as an access officer and disability campaigner, and inviting each to join his endeavour to implement the Barcelona Declaration. His documentation records four replies ,three from the Westport electoral area, and one from Cllr Clarke in the Ballina region.
Tom Chambers refers to a paper cutting in the midst of his paper trail, an article dating back to October 2003when Ballina councillors “moved” to make their town more accessible for wheelchair users with the formation of a sub-committee to address the issue.
“local representatives’ were expressing their views about the town, but what have they done to alleviate the fears of the persons who wrote to them, ”asks Tom Chambers, a wheelchair user for 25 years.
“I would put it to them that if they are to implement the Barcelona Declaration, Wheelchair users should be included from day one ,not invited when the so called experts have done a bit of work.”
During the next two-and-a half hours, as the perspective of a wheelchair user in Ballina is painstaking revealed Tom Chambers will point out to umpteen situations where the “experts” have failed to meet his requirements as a wheelchair user.
“it seems to me that engineers and architects are often not signing off on work that planning permission has been secured for” he says in exasperated tones at one juncture.
He has parked on one-way O Rahilly street at the disabled drivers space close to where Peter Clarke’s seafood business is located. Immediately the absence of uniform parking bay for disabled drivers is readily identifiable in most of Europe with its distinctive blue background and white logo at its centre.
Tonight that parking space is vacant. Its not always the case. Two years ago the department of Transport indicated to Tom chambers that it would consider the inclusion of illegal parking in designated disabled persons parking bays in the penalty points scheme.
“this would have to be justified on grounds of road safety and it would limit enforcement in that if it was a penalty point offence it could only be enforced by An Garda Siochana,” Tom Chambers says, producing the letter from (then)minister Seamus Brennan’s private secretary. From the same file he sequesters documentation received from the Minister of the Environment in June 2004 in reply to an enquiry by fine Gael T D Michael Ring about special funding to provide for footpath adaptation to provide crossings and dish kerbs for wheel chair users.” the selection of works to be funded from grants is entirely a matter for the relevant local authority,” come the reply.
Superbly versed in this sector ,Tom Chambers understands that € 350,000 has been set aside for 2005 roads programme in the Ballina electoral area. Of this 44 percent is ring-fenced for work on paths. How much of this money has been invested in Ballina’s pathways thus far ,he asks.
From the parking space closer to the bottom of O Rahilly Street, Tom Chambers commences the steep haul towards the top of the street where he can gain access to the footpath. Eventually ,as the going get tough, he has to request the assistance of Peter Clarke. Tom Chambers has completed the Dublin City Marathon on four occasions. Turning on to Bury Street it is a monumental struggle to keep his chair on the footpath which narrows alarmingly on the corner. Again some tightrope balancing is required.
At the disabled parking spaces at diamonds Car Park off Bury street, he highlights the crucial need for bays on either side of disabled parking space to allow the disabled driver the space to get out of the car on either side.
At the entrance to Market Lane a sign overhead reads ,”Access to Town Centre”, this is irony in its mendacious form .the negation of Market Lane ,a relatively new shopping district, is nothing short of a nightmare for the wheelchair user. A veritable downhill maze, it leaves tom Chambers skidding out of control in places, reaching for handrails which are either out of reach or dislodged from their concrete foundations. A gradient of 1;20 is recommended in such a situation as are a second ,lower handrail,75mm raised kerbs on open sides and slip -resistant surfaces.” imagine what this would be like on a wet day “ observes tom Chambers. One cringes at the possibilities.
The shape of the handrails here are appropriate and properly sized ,but it’s a different story further down the street where flat, rust-friendly handrails offer no assistance on only one side of a ramp for wheelchair users outside prominent business. Outside Ballina Civic offices, Tom Chambers again struggles to maintain control on the footpath’s uneven layout, and eventually has to call Peter Clarke again. The disabled parking space her is hardly easy to negotiate either .the driver must get out in to the flow of traffic ,and a water drain inhibits the location of the wheelchair. To gain access to the footpath from here, the wheelchair user must return-in the face of traffic-to the traffic lights some 75yards away, around the corner at Dunne’s Stores. I have been approached by people living in Ballina with disabilities and asked to highlight the everyday problems that they are facing. Tom Chambers explains why we are here tonight
From his library of information, he finally produces the ‘disability proofing template for local Government, a hand book issued by the National Disability Authority on the implementation of the Barcelona Declaration
“the ultimate aim and potential of the disability proofing template is to facilitate local authorities in creating a more inclusive society for everyone,” the introduction reads.
“In fulfilling the Declaration Agreement each local authority undertakes to raise disability awareness and to engage in consultative process with disabled people.”
The introduction concludes with definition of disability in this context. It is “the disadvantage or restriction of activity caused by a contempary social organisation which takes little or no account of people (with disabilities)and thus excludes them from participation in the mainstream of social activities”. and right now, Tom Chambers is feeling more than a little bit left out . But he’s not going away.
Monday, May 05, 2008
Re: parking at Knock Airport
Letter received on the 23rd April 2008 from Marian Harhin (MEP)
Dear Tom,
I have made enquiries on the matter you spoke to me about when we last met in Claremorris on the 9th March 2008. The situation is that the Disabled Parking Permit scheme opperates under EU regulations and is valid in all European Union States.
With regard to disabled parking at Knock Airport, she informed me that if one goes to Customer Services or indeed Security they will photocopy ones disc which can be left on ones car while one is away and can bring the origional disc wiht you.
Dear Tom,
I have made enquiries on the matter you spoke to me about when we last met in Claremorris on the 9th March 2008. The situation is that the Disabled Parking Permit scheme opperates under EU regulations and is valid in all European Union States.
With regard to disabled parking at Knock Airport, she informed me that if one goes to Customer Services or indeed Security they will photocopy ones disc which can be left on ones car while one is away and can bring the origional disc wiht you.
Uachtarán na hÉireann
Mrs. Mary McAleese
Áras an Uachtaráin
Phoenix Park,
Dublin 8
A Uachtaráin,
I write to you as a last resort in an effort to request that you do not sign the Disability Bill 2004 into law. As an Irish Citizen of the Irish State, and as a disabled person I ask that you refer this Bill to the Supreme Court to test its constitutionality under Article 40.3 of Bunreacht na hÉireann under which the State "guarantees in its laws to respect, and as far as practicable, by its laws to defend and vindicate the personal rights of the citizen". The Disability community has repeatedly informed Government through the established consultation process that this Bill is totally flawed and fundamentally inadequate, without the points listed below
1. There must be a clear and unequivocal right to anassessment of need, which must not be resource-dependent2. The services identified in the assessment of need foran individual must be provided within a reasonable and agreed timeframe3 .The Bill must provide for clear protection ofdisability-specific resources4 The provisions regarding Sectoral Plans must takeaccount of the wider needs of people with disabilities. Each governmentdepartment with relevant services must provide a Sectoral Plan5 .The Bill must provide for a clear statutory duty on allgovernment departments and public bodies to include people with disabilitiesin their plans and services with appropriate monitoring and accountabilityA Uachtaráin, as you can see the Government have railroaded the said Bill through both Houses of the Oireachtas, allowing little opportunity the Opposition parties to put amendments for change to the Bill.
A Uachtaráin, if you sign this Bill you will be going against the wishes of the 495,000 persons with disabilities in this State and their families.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs. Mary McAleese
Áras an Uachtaráin
Phoenix Park,
Dublin 8
A Uachtaráin,
I write to you as a last resort in an effort to request that you do not sign the Disability Bill 2004 into law. As an Irish Citizen of the Irish State, and as a disabled person I ask that you refer this Bill to the Supreme Court to test its constitutionality under Article 40.3 of Bunreacht na hÉireann under which the State "guarantees in its laws to respect, and as far as practicable, by its laws to defend and vindicate the personal rights of the citizen". The Disability community has repeatedly informed Government through the established consultation process that this Bill is totally flawed and fundamentally inadequate, without the points listed below
1. There must be a clear and unequivocal right to anassessment of need, which must not be resource-dependent2. The services identified in the assessment of need foran individual must be provided within a reasonable and agreed timeframe3 .The Bill must provide for clear protection ofdisability-specific resources4 The provisions regarding Sectoral Plans must takeaccount of the wider needs of people with disabilities. Each governmentdepartment with relevant services must provide a Sectoral Plan5 .The Bill must provide for a clear statutory duty on allgovernment departments and public bodies to include people with disabilitiesin their plans and services with appropriate monitoring and accountabilityA Uachtaráin, as you can see the Government have railroaded the said Bill through both Houses of the Oireachtas, allowing little opportunity the Opposition parties to put amendments for change to the Bill.
A Uachtaráin, if you sign this Bill you will be going against the wishes of the 495,000 persons with disabilities in this State and their families.
Yours sincerely,
Euro airports lift disabled cost
Disabled passengers with all airlines will be guaranteed free assistance at all airports, EU Transport Ministers have agreed. The new law will prevent any dis-crimination to people with a disability, with safety reasons the only exception. The new rules will apply to all airlines, including Ryanair, which fought a case in the UK over whether it or Stansted Airport should pay for the cost of transporting a passenger in a wheelchair through the terminal.
The airline currently imposes a 35 cent levy on all passengers to cover the cost of assistance for disabled passengers. The only condition attached to the law is that passengers requiring a wheelchair must notify the airport 48 hours in advance. Under the new rules, airports must provide the service. At Dublin Airport, for example, a private firm operates the service for most airlines. The move was welco0med by Transport Minister Martin Cullen, who said that there is no opt-out clause.
Disabled passengers with all airlines will be guaranteed free assistance at all airports, EU Transport Ministers have agreed. The new law will prevent any dis-crimination to people with a disability, with safety reasons the only exception. The new rules will apply to all airlines, including Ryanair, which fought a case in the UK over whether it or Stansted Airport should pay for the cost of transporting a passenger in a wheelchair through the terminal.
The airline currently imposes a 35 cent levy on all passengers to cover the cost of assistance for disabled passengers. The only condition attached to the law is that passengers requiring a wheelchair must notify the airport 48 hours in advance. Under the new rules, airports must provide the service. At Dublin Airport, for example, a private firm operates the service for most airlines. The move was welco0med by Transport Minister Martin Cullen, who said that there is no opt-out clause.
Back, Geofrey Bourdouxhe (Coach)
Front, Sam Mayerus (Athlete) Tom Chambers (Host)
On a spring morning in 1981 Tom Chambers’ life changed forever. A car accident near Drogheda snapped the Newport man’s spine and left him paralysed from the chest down. This week he talks to Michael Gallagher about his life and the joy he takes from living every day to the full.
By Michael Gallagher, Reporter for the Western People, (County Paper)
Tom Chambers loves to talk. He has a way of telling stories that brings the past to life and the tale of his existence so far is one, which generates a great sense of hope and determination.
Born in Rockfleet just outside Newport he grew up surrounded by seven brothers, eight sisters and parents Mick and Maud. He enjoyed life, going to school, doing the chores and playing games the way kids do. He loved sport and was soon playing football with the local teams.
"I enjoyed playing football and in 1964 we had a great minor team in the area. We were called Mulranny but we drew lads from the whole region stretching from Ballycroy to Kilmeena. I was lucky enough to captain the team and on one special evening in McHale Park we beat Ballina Stephenites in the County league final. That was a famous team and we had some fine footballers like Joe McAndrew, Stephen Conway and Christy Loftus. I scored 1-9 that evening and it is a game I will never forget. Later that year we won the West championship but lost the county semi-final to a Jimmy Duggan-inspired Claremorris. I loved the games and the excitement and will never forget those special days."
He spent happy times learning the painting trade from Sean Kelly and in 1964 when Burrishoole GAA team went to London on tour Tom was in the party. He saw the abundance of work available in the English capital and was soon back there looking for a start.
"I worked all over England from Birmingham to Ipswich and Bristol to Norwich. I followed the work, the money was good and the craic was mighty. I played some football around London with St. Jarlath’s and St. Pat’s in Luton and enjoyed life. There were lots of lads from home over there and when there was a big match on in Ireland like an All-Ireland Final we all gathered to listen to it on the radio. We would tie the radio and the aerial to a lamppost and gather around it listening in silence. The locals didn’t know what was happening and often called the police who would come along and often listen to the game with us."
Tom enjoyed life in England but in the autumn of 1980 he returned to Dublin where the building boom was just about to begin. He wasn’t long there when fate intervened and changed his life forever. On March 30th 1981 the car he was driving hit a wall just outside Drogheda with devastating consequences.
"I wasn’t found for five hours after the accident and when they got to the car I was trapped under a pile of stone from the wall. I could only tell them my name and was then taken to a hospital in Drogheda before being flown to the Central Remedial Clinic in DunLaoighre.
"That day back in Mayo my parents were going to Mass when they heard on the radio that a man named Tom Chambers had been in a serious accident near Drogheda but they never thought it was me as I was living in Dublin at the time."
Soon they learned that it was indeed their son who had been injured in the accident and life would never be the same again. In DunLaoighre Tom was asking the nurses could he soon go home as there was a lot of concrete being delivered that week but it wasn’t long before he realised that he was in serious trouble.
"I looked around me and saw some frightening sights. Fine people lying there in beds unable to move a muscle and I knew that I had some major problems but I also realised that I was very lucky. There was an Irish rugby international there called Gus Barrett who had passed his final exams in dentistry only days before his life was turned upside down and I thanked God that I was as good as I was."
Months of physio and hard work were put in before Tom saw Rockfleet again but in December he arrived home full of trepidation about what the future held.
"I was very nervous wondering what would happen if something went wrong but there was no need to worry, everything worked out fine."
Fundraising locally and in London and Cleveland meant that Tom could buy a car and soon he was on the open road. He valued his independence and later moved to a house of his own in nearby Newport. He settled into life in West Mayo and could often be found driving a carload of friends to dances all over the county. The man from Rockfleet wasn’t going to sit around complaining about the hand he had been dealt.
Then in October 1985 the local sergeant Tom Rochford, set him a challenge. He believed that Chambers was capable of competing in the Dublin City Marathon and told him he would support him all the way. Tom took up the challenge and the rest is history.
He trained four or five hours every day. Rochford, Martin O’ Malley, Kevin McManamon and a local committee secured funding for a new lighter wheelchair and after endless preparation and a few local half-marathons Tom found himself on the starting line for the 1986 marathon.
"Bertie Ahern was the Lord Mayor of Dublin at the time sent us on our way. I was going well at first until one of the front wheels came loose on the chair but I pulled into a garage and borrowed a spanner, which kept me going until I got to the service vehicle."
Soon he was back on course again and as he raced down the Malahide Road a special Mayo lady shouted out her support.
"Rosaline Gallagher was they’re urging me on and I got great courage from that. She had done so much on the sporting scene worldwide as a disabled athlete and had Olympic medals, I was honoured that she turned out to wish me luck as she herself was also from Mayo."
The Newport man raced onwards and as he went up Westland Row a spectator shouted that there was only a mile to go.
"For the first time in the race I thought about the distance I had travelled and I put in a special effort to get to the finish because there were a few people in Newport and surrounding areas who had doubted my ability to finish."
Soon Tom had crossed the line and one of his life’s’ ambitions had been achieved. He would complete another two marathons and numerous other distances in the following years as his fame spread far and wide. The man from Rockfleet became one of Newport’s best-known residents.
These days Tom doesn’t race anymore but he still keeps in touch with the people he met on the athletics trail. He waits anxiously for the opportunity to help another Mayo wheelchair athlete enter the racing game. His head is filled with tips for aspiring racers and he knows someday that another Mayo racer will scorch through the Dublin streets.
His days are filled with the IT lessons he gives in Mayo Tech and the designs he makes for wheelchair accessible buildings. He is enjoying life in Newport and is thankful for the hand life has dealt him.
"If I hadn’t run into that wall I might be dead now, who knows? I have a great life filled with wonderful people and remember it’s only my legs that are paralysed, not my brain."
The man who has packed more into his life than many others has a lot of living to do. He is already planning his next project and the ones after that. Tom Chambers is a unique man, one of Newport’s finest.
Front, Sam Mayerus (Athlete) Tom Chambers (Host)
On a spring morning in 1981 Tom Chambers’ life changed forever. A car accident near Drogheda snapped the Newport man’s spine and left him paralysed from the chest down. This week he talks to Michael Gallagher about his life and the joy he takes from living every day to the full.
By Michael Gallagher, Reporter for the Western People, (County Paper)
Tom Chambers loves to talk. He has a way of telling stories that brings the past to life and the tale of his existence so far is one, which generates a great sense of hope and determination.
Born in Rockfleet just outside Newport he grew up surrounded by seven brothers, eight sisters and parents Mick and Maud. He enjoyed life, going to school, doing the chores and playing games the way kids do. He loved sport and was soon playing football with the local teams.
"I enjoyed playing football and in 1964 we had a great minor team in the area. We were called Mulranny but we drew lads from the whole region stretching from Ballycroy to Kilmeena. I was lucky enough to captain the team and on one special evening in McHale Park we beat Ballina Stephenites in the County league final. That was a famous team and we had some fine footballers like Joe McAndrew, Stephen Conway and Christy Loftus. I scored 1-9 that evening and it is a game I will never forget. Later that year we won the West championship but lost the county semi-final to a Jimmy Duggan-inspired Claremorris. I loved the games and the excitement and will never forget those special days."
He spent happy times learning the painting trade from Sean Kelly and in 1964 when Burrishoole GAA team went to London on tour Tom was in the party. He saw the abundance of work available in the English capital and was soon back there looking for a start.
"I worked all over England from Birmingham to Ipswich and Bristol to Norwich. I followed the work, the money was good and the craic was mighty. I played some football around London with St. Jarlath’s and St. Pat’s in Luton and enjoyed life. There were lots of lads from home over there and when there was a big match on in Ireland like an All-Ireland Final we all gathered to listen to it on the radio. We would tie the radio and the aerial to a lamppost and gather around it listening in silence. The locals didn’t know what was happening and often called the police who would come along and often listen to the game with us."
Tom enjoyed life in England but in the autumn of 1980 he returned to Dublin where the building boom was just about to begin. He wasn’t long there when fate intervened and changed his life forever. On March 30th 1981 the car he was driving hit a wall just outside Drogheda with devastating consequences.
"I wasn’t found for five hours after the accident and when they got to the car I was trapped under a pile of stone from the wall. I could only tell them my name and was then taken to a hospital in Drogheda before being flown to the Central Remedial Clinic in DunLaoighre.
"That day back in Mayo my parents were going to Mass when they heard on the radio that a man named Tom Chambers had been in a serious accident near Drogheda but they never thought it was me as I was living in Dublin at the time."
Soon they learned that it was indeed their son who had been injured in the accident and life would never be the same again. In DunLaoighre Tom was asking the nurses could he soon go home as there was a lot of concrete being delivered that week but it wasn’t long before he realised that he was in serious trouble.
"I looked around me and saw some frightening sights. Fine people lying there in beds unable to move a muscle and I knew that I had some major problems but I also realised that I was very lucky. There was an Irish rugby international there called Gus Barrett who had passed his final exams in dentistry only days before his life was turned upside down and I thanked God that I was as good as I was."
Months of physio and hard work were put in before Tom saw Rockfleet again but in December he arrived home full of trepidation about what the future held.
"I was very nervous wondering what would happen if something went wrong but there was no need to worry, everything worked out fine."
Fundraising locally and in London and Cleveland meant that Tom could buy a car and soon he was on the open road. He valued his independence and later moved to a house of his own in nearby Newport. He settled into life in West Mayo and could often be found driving a carload of friends to dances all over the county. The man from Rockfleet wasn’t going to sit around complaining about the hand he had been dealt.
Then in October 1985 the local sergeant Tom Rochford, set him a challenge. He believed that Chambers was capable of competing in the Dublin City Marathon and told him he would support him all the way. Tom took up the challenge and the rest is history.
He trained four or five hours every day. Rochford, Martin O’ Malley, Kevin McManamon and a local committee secured funding for a new lighter wheelchair and after endless preparation and a few local half-marathons Tom found himself on the starting line for the 1986 marathon.
"Bertie Ahern was the Lord Mayor of Dublin at the time sent us on our way. I was going well at first until one of the front wheels came loose on the chair but I pulled into a garage and borrowed a spanner, which kept me going until I got to the service vehicle."
Soon he was back on course again and as he raced down the Malahide Road a special Mayo lady shouted out her support.
"Rosaline Gallagher was they’re urging me on and I got great courage from that. She had done so much on the sporting scene worldwide as a disabled athlete and had Olympic medals, I was honoured that she turned out to wish me luck as she herself was also from Mayo."
The Newport man raced onwards and as he went up Westland Row a spectator shouted that there was only a mile to go.
"For the first time in the race I thought about the distance I had travelled and I put in a special effort to get to the finish because there were a few people in Newport and surrounding areas who had doubted my ability to finish."
Soon Tom had crossed the line and one of his life’s’ ambitions had been achieved. He would complete another two marathons and numerous other distances in the following years as his fame spread far and wide. The man from Rockfleet became one of Newport’s best-known residents.
These days Tom doesn’t race anymore but he still keeps in touch with the people he met on the athletics trail. He waits anxiously for the opportunity to help another Mayo wheelchair athlete enter the racing game. His head is filled with tips for aspiring racers and he knows someday that another Mayo racer will scorch through the Dublin streets.
His days are filled with the IT lessons he gives in Mayo Tech and the designs he makes for wheelchair accessible buildings. He is enjoying life in Newport and is thankful for the hand life has dealt him.
"If I hadn’t run into that wall I might be dead now, who knows? I have a great life filled with wonderful people and remember it’s only my legs that are paralysed, not my brain."
The man who has packed more into his life than many others has a lot of living to do. He is already planning his next project and the ones after that. Tom Chambers is a unique man, one of Newport’s finest.
Mr. Tony O’Donnell,
Secretary,
Tiernaur Hall Society Ltd,
Sandhill,
Newport,
Co. Mayo.
9th August 2004.
"Building Regulations 2000, Technical Guidance Document M, access for People with Disabilities".
Dear Tony,
I refer to the outlay of the proposed disabled toilets and width of doors from the entrance and internally and lobbies in your plans for Tiernaur Hall.
Regarding the provision of lobbies such as the one in your plans, lobbies are only required when food is sold in the premises or if food is consumed in area. With regard to the positioning of disabled toilets, Section 2a of Technical Guidance Document M, 2000 deals with sanitary conveniences in buildings other than dwellings. Particular attention should be drawn to the last sentence of Section 2.3:
{Sanitary accommodation for people with disabilities should be provided in a convenient and accessible part of the building to which wheelchair users have independent access}
For ventilation of sanitary accommodation in buildings other than dwellings, reference should be made to Section 1.14 and 1.15 of Technical Guidance Document F, 2002 (Hygiene).
Section 1.15 states that:
[Where a kitchen, bathroom or sanitary accommodation is in an internal room, it shall have mechanical extract ventilation to extract air at a rate of not less than that given in Table 2, and a permanently open air inlet having a clear opening area of at least 9000 mm2]
According to Table 1.4 of Technical Guidance Document B, 1997 (Fire Safety), the minimum clear width of a fire exit is 800mm (suitable for a minimum of 50 persons discharging). Where numbers in excess of 50 are discharging the clear width of the exit has to be increased beyond 800mm. This may be achieved by increasing the width of the door leaf or by using a double door leaf door set.
If a double door leaf door set is used as a final exit, such as the main entrance to a building, then one leaf must provide a clear opening width of not less than 800mm to comply with Section 1.7 (a) of Technical Guidance Document 2000. For double door leaf door sets used internally, one leaf must provide a clear opening width of not less than 750mm to comply with Section 1.9 (a) of TGD M, 2000.
Section 1.4.3 of TGD B, 1997 (Fire Safety) deals with doors on escape routes. Doors on escape routes (both within and from the building) should be readily openable in the direction of escape without the use of a key. In places of assembly doors must always open in the direction of escape if more than 20 persons are expected to use them.
Finally, all measures should be taken to ensure that external lighting at the approach to the building defines the entrance clearly.
In your letter to me dated 22nd February 2004 you wrote that you were more or less depending on the engineers advice. As Access Officer for People with Disabilities in Mayo I am answerable to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform (JELR).
I also work with the National Disability Authority (NDA) who has been asked by (JELR) to present a draft Guideline for the Achievement of Improving Accessibility for consideration by all Government Departments. The draft has been produced in the context of the accessibility commitment as outlined in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness (PPF 2000) which includes the development of guidelines, monitoring and auditing progress towards the achievement of better accessibility for public services and the awarding of an accessibility symbol to compliant public services.
So if the Disability Bill which is about to be passed and hopefully the disabled will have a better say in what they need to fill as full a life as possible, Architects and Engineers and Local Representatives will have to listen to our demands.
I hope the above response is off assistance to your committee and if you have any further queries please do not hesitate in connecting me.
Kindest Regards
……………………..
Tom Chambers,
"The Billy Ranch"
Knocknageeha,
Newport,
Co. Mayo,
Access Officer for PwDI,
Mayo Network.
ID Number 24
Secretary,
Tiernaur Hall Society Ltd,
Sandhill,
Newport,
Co. Mayo.
9th August 2004.
"Building Regulations 2000, Technical Guidance Document M, access for People with Disabilities".
Dear Tony,
I refer to the outlay of the proposed disabled toilets and width of doors from the entrance and internally and lobbies in your plans for Tiernaur Hall.
Regarding the provision of lobbies such as the one in your plans, lobbies are only required when food is sold in the premises or if food is consumed in area. With regard to the positioning of disabled toilets, Section 2a of Technical Guidance Document M, 2000 deals with sanitary conveniences in buildings other than dwellings. Particular attention should be drawn to the last sentence of Section 2.3:
{Sanitary accommodation for people with disabilities should be provided in a convenient and accessible part of the building to which wheelchair users have independent access}
For ventilation of sanitary accommodation in buildings other than dwellings, reference should be made to Section 1.14 and 1.15 of Technical Guidance Document F, 2002 (Hygiene).
Section 1.15 states that:
[Where a kitchen, bathroom or sanitary accommodation is in an internal room, it shall have mechanical extract ventilation to extract air at a rate of not less than that given in Table 2, and a permanently open air inlet having a clear opening area of at least 9000 mm2]
According to Table 1.4 of Technical Guidance Document B, 1997 (Fire Safety), the minimum clear width of a fire exit is 800mm (suitable for a minimum of 50 persons discharging). Where numbers in excess of 50 are discharging the clear width of the exit has to be increased beyond 800mm. This may be achieved by increasing the width of the door leaf or by using a double door leaf door set.
If a double door leaf door set is used as a final exit, such as the main entrance to a building, then one leaf must provide a clear opening width of not less than 800mm to comply with Section 1.7 (a) of Technical Guidance Document 2000. For double door leaf door sets used internally, one leaf must provide a clear opening width of not less than 750mm to comply with Section 1.9 (a) of TGD M, 2000.
Section 1.4.3 of TGD B, 1997 (Fire Safety) deals with doors on escape routes. Doors on escape routes (both within and from the building) should be readily openable in the direction of escape without the use of a key. In places of assembly doors must always open in the direction of escape if more than 20 persons are expected to use them.
Finally, all measures should be taken to ensure that external lighting at the approach to the building defines the entrance clearly.
In your letter to me dated 22nd February 2004 you wrote that you were more or less depending on the engineers advice. As Access Officer for People with Disabilities in Mayo I am answerable to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform (JELR).
I also work with the National Disability Authority (NDA) who has been asked by (JELR) to present a draft Guideline for the Achievement of Improving Accessibility for consideration by all Government Departments. The draft has been produced in the context of the accessibility commitment as outlined in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness (PPF 2000) which includes the development of guidelines, monitoring and auditing progress towards the achievement of better accessibility for public services and the awarding of an accessibility symbol to compliant public services.
So if the Disability Bill which is about to be passed and hopefully the disabled will have a better say in what they need to fill as full a life as possible, Architects and Engineers and Local Representatives will have to listen to our demands.
I hope the above response is off assistance to your committee and if you have any further queries please do not hesitate in connecting me.
Kindest Regards
……………………..
Tom Chambers,
"The Billy Ranch"
Knocknageeha,
Newport,
Co. Mayo,
Access Officer for PwDI,
Mayo Network.
ID Number 24
Friends,
As 2003 draws to a close it is time for us all to look back on the past twelve months and take stock. We will all have mixed emotions, good days, bad days, happy moments and sad times but hopefully everyone will have taken something positive from the year.
Like the rest of humanity I endured the ups and downs of life but the abiding memory I will carry forward from 2003 is of the Special Olympics. It left memories that will stay with me forever, it was a pleasure to have experienced the greatest gathering of people this country has ever seen and the people, the fun and the friendships will live on long after other things fade from the memory.
As a disabled person I took special interest in the organisation and running of the games and was very proud to host an athlete and coach from the Luxembourg delegation during their stay in the Newport/Westport area. Taking an athlete meant welcoming them into my home, becoming part of their effort and sharing firsthand their success and disappointment. It also meant that I would be playing a critical role in contributing to the nationwide effort of hosting and running the games. Been disabled myself I felt I was up to the challenge. In a space of a few days, people who arrived, as strangers would become friends.
Sam Mayerus, who was the captain of the Bocce team and his coach Geoffrey Bourdouxhe arrived in my home in the early hours of June 15th last. Sam had very little English but was delighted to be sharing a house with someone like himself who was confined to a wheelchair.
The following morning they woke to the sounds of sheep, dogs and cattle but when they pulled the curtains they were greeted by the sight of trees, mountains and even wild weeds and they thought they were in heaven as they were both from built up areas and weren’t used to the scenery Newport had to offer.
I tried to give them a bit of my knowledge of the Irish heritage. One typical day began with a traditional breakfast at 9.30am. At 10am I had laid on an interview with Tommy Marren of NWR. The coach spoke with Tommy about the sport of Bocce before we headed off to bowling in Castlebar. A meal followed and then a scenic tour of Curraune and Achill Island. Back to Westport for a meal and when we got home I showed them a game of Gaelic football that I had on tape. It was a semi-final GAA match between Mayo and Cork.
The official opening of the Games in Croke Park, which I attended, was something I will never forget. Then the games itself which I supported as much as I could were very well organised and the beauty of it was that a book could be written about every athlete.
Hosting the Athletes would not have been as successful without the great back-up team there was here in Mayo. So many people worked hard to ensure everything ran smoothly. The people who gave me linen for the beds, flowers and home-made bread, the team that erected the flags outside my house and those who called and made Sam and Geoffrey feel so welcome can be very proud of their contribution.
A special word of thanks to the Woods Hotel in Westport for allowing the team to train there, in particular to Margaret Mulchrone, Corporate Marketing Executive of the hotel for her kindness. To Staunton’s Sport Shop in Westport in sponsoring a Mayo football jersey and to C/C Cellular in Rosbeg, Westport for also sponsoring mobile phone components. To the Order of Malta who were always on standby while the team trained in the Hotel. Not forgetting Sean Geraghty with his specially adapted van who was always only a phone call away and Ann Kelly-Hoban who made sure the guests had a change of linen every night. Not forgetting the magnificent hamper provided by Tesco’s to everyone who hosted an athlete. Everyone played a part to make the whole experience one that will be remembered through the mists of time
I spent many good days with the Luxembourg team but one day stands out above all the others. It was on Friday 27th June when attending the games in Simmonscourt I was introduced to Eunice Kennedy Smith, the founder member of the Special Olympics. Later I was introduced to H.R.H. the Grande-Duchesse Maria Teresa and the Sports Minister Mne Anne Brasseur of Luxembourg. I was introduced as an adopted son from Ireland to Luxembourg. She thanked me for the good work I had done and was a good Ambassador for Newport/Westport. We spoke for a few minutes about the two countries and what they had in common. She was full of praise for the Irish business people who had set up in their capital of Luxembourg.
I pointed out to her that the athletes were very friendly, gentle and kind and it was a pleasure to have them in my house. A TV crew from Luxembourg recorded all this and their journalist took notes.
To cap it all I was invited to a reception on the 27th June 2003 in honour of their team. The reception was held at the Exhibition area of the University Industry Centre, UCD, Belfield. The Consul of Luxembourg in Ireland and the Ambassador of Luxembourg in London also attended it.
I felt very proud when I was presented with a special €10 and €5 coins specially minted by the Bank of Ireland who were the main sponsors for the games. The games are now over, but hopefully their legacy will remain in Ireland. People from all over the world will have watched our example and will have helped to influence Special Olympics programmes all over the world. So all in all I felt happy, as the feedback I got was that they had an enjoyable 5 days and nights in Newport.
Now as we face into a new year I hope that we can carry the spirit of the Special Olympics with us in our daily lives and that will be a fitting testament to the greatest sporting event ever to take place in our country.
Modern technology (The computer) means that we can keep in touch with one another.
Yours truly,
Tom Chambers
"The Billy Ranch"
Newport
Co. Mayo.
E-mail: thomaschambers@eircom.net
Sam Mayerus (athlete) and captain of the Luxembourg Bocce Team and Geoffrey Bourdouxhe arrived at 00.15am on the 15th June last. After exchanging presents and a few minutes on the computer to send e-mails home they went to bed. Sam had very little English but was delighted to be sharing a house with someone like himself confined to a wheelchair.
I woke them as 8.00am to the noise of sheep, dogs and cattle, but when they pulled the curtains and looked out to see trees, mountains and even wild weeds they thought it was heaven. As they had come from a built-up area they were not expecting scenery like this.
Taking an athlete means welcoming them into ones home, you become part of their effort, sharing firsthand their success and disappointment. It also meant that I would be playing a critical role in contributing to the towns and country. Been disabled myself I felt I was up to the challenge. In a space of a few days’ people who arrived as strangers would become friends.
A lot of words have been spoken about the athletes and what it means to the disabled. Words can open doors, but they can just as easily create barriers.
I tried to give them a bit of my knowledge of the Irish heritage. One typical day was getting up to a traditional breakfast at 9.30am. At 10.00am I had laid on an interview with Tommy Marren of NWR. The coach spoke with Tommy about the sport Bocce. Then off to bowling in Castlebar. A meal and then a scenic tour of Curraune and Achill Island. Back to Westport for a meal and when we got home I showed them a game of our National sport. It was a semi-final GAA match between Mayo and Cork.
The official opening of the Games in Croke Park, which I attended, was something I will never forget. Then the games itself which I supported as much as I could were very well organised and the beauty of it was that a book could be written about every athlete.
Hosting the Athletes could not be as successible without the support of a good committee. Also the people who gave me linen for the beds, flowers and home made bread and the team for erecting the flags outside my house. The people who called and made them welcome.
A special word of thanks to the Woods Hotel in Westport for allowing the team to train in particular to Margaret Mulchrone, Corporate Marketing Executive of the hotel for her kindness. To Staunton’s Sport Shop in Westport in sponsoring a Mayo football jersey and to C/C Cellular in Rosbeg, Westport for also sponsoring mobile phone components. To the Order of Malta who were always on standby while the team trained in the Hotel. Not forgetting Sean Geraghty with his specially adapted van who was always only a phone call away and Ann Kelly-Hoban who made sure the guests had a change of linen every night.
Above all the good days I spent with the Luxembourg team one day must stand out. It was on Friday 27th June when attending the games in Simmonscourt I was introduced to Eunice Kennedy Smith, the founder member of the Special Olympics. Later I was introduced to H.R.H. the Grande-Duchesse Maria Teresa and the Sports Minister Mne Anne Brasseur. I was introduced as an adopted son from Ireland to Luxembourg. She thanked me for the good work I had done and was a good Ambassador for Newport/Westport. We spoke for a few minutes about the two countries and what they had in common. She was full of praise for the Irish business people who had set up in their capital of Luxembourg.
I pointed out to her that the athletes were very friendly, gentle and kind and it was a pleasure to have them in my house. A TV crew from Luxembourg recorded all this and their journalist took notes.
To cap it all I was invited to a reception on the 27th June 2003 in honour of their team. The reception was held at the Exhibition area of the University Industry Centre, UCD, Belfield. The Consul of Luxembourg in Ireland and the Ambassador of Luxembourg in London also attended it.
I felt very proud when I was presented with a special €10 and €5 coins specially minted by the Bank of Ireland who were the main sponsors for the games. The games are now over, but hopefully their legacy will remain in Ireland. People from all over the world will have watched our example and will have helped to influence Special Olympics programmes all over the world.
So all in all I felt happy, as the feedback I got was that they had an enjoyable 5 days and nights.
Yours truly,
Tom Chambers
"The Billy Ranch"
Newport
Co. Mayo.
E-mail: thomaschambers@eircom.net
As 2003 draws to a close it is time for us all to look back on the past twelve months and take stock. We will all have mixed emotions, good days, bad days, happy moments and sad times but hopefully everyone will have taken something positive from the year.
Like the rest of humanity I endured the ups and downs of life but the abiding memory I will carry forward from 2003 is of the Special Olympics. It left memories that will stay with me forever, it was a pleasure to have experienced the greatest gathering of people this country has ever seen and the people, the fun and the friendships will live on long after other things fade from the memory.
As a disabled person I took special interest in the organisation and running of the games and was very proud to host an athlete and coach from the Luxembourg delegation during their stay in the Newport/Westport area. Taking an athlete meant welcoming them into my home, becoming part of their effort and sharing firsthand their success and disappointment. It also meant that I would be playing a critical role in contributing to the nationwide effort of hosting and running the games. Been disabled myself I felt I was up to the challenge. In a space of a few days, people who arrived, as strangers would become friends.
Sam Mayerus, who was the captain of the Bocce team and his coach Geoffrey Bourdouxhe arrived in my home in the early hours of June 15th last. Sam had very little English but was delighted to be sharing a house with someone like himself who was confined to a wheelchair.
The following morning they woke to the sounds of sheep, dogs and cattle but when they pulled the curtains they were greeted by the sight of trees, mountains and even wild weeds and they thought they were in heaven as they were both from built up areas and weren’t used to the scenery Newport had to offer.
I tried to give them a bit of my knowledge of the Irish heritage. One typical day began with a traditional breakfast at 9.30am. At 10am I had laid on an interview with Tommy Marren of NWR. The coach spoke with Tommy about the sport of Bocce before we headed off to bowling in Castlebar. A meal followed and then a scenic tour of Curraune and Achill Island. Back to Westport for a meal and when we got home I showed them a game of Gaelic football that I had on tape. It was a semi-final GAA match between Mayo and Cork.
The official opening of the Games in Croke Park, which I attended, was something I will never forget. Then the games itself which I supported as much as I could were very well organised and the beauty of it was that a book could be written about every athlete.
Hosting the Athletes would not have been as successful without the great back-up team there was here in Mayo. So many people worked hard to ensure everything ran smoothly. The people who gave me linen for the beds, flowers and home-made bread, the team that erected the flags outside my house and those who called and made Sam and Geoffrey feel so welcome can be very proud of their contribution.
A special word of thanks to the Woods Hotel in Westport for allowing the team to train there, in particular to Margaret Mulchrone, Corporate Marketing Executive of the hotel for her kindness. To Staunton’s Sport Shop in Westport in sponsoring a Mayo football jersey and to C/C Cellular in Rosbeg, Westport for also sponsoring mobile phone components. To the Order of Malta who were always on standby while the team trained in the Hotel. Not forgetting Sean Geraghty with his specially adapted van who was always only a phone call away and Ann Kelly-Hoban who made sure the guests had a change of linen every night. Not forgetting the magnificent hamper provided by Tesco’s to everyone who hosted an athlete. Everyone played a part to make the whole experience one that will be remembered through the mists of time
I spent many good days with the Luxembourg team but one day stands out above all the others. It was on Friday 27th June when attending the games in Simmonscourt I was introduced to Eunice Kennedy Smith, the founder member of the Special Olympics. Later I was introduced to H.R.H. the Grande-Duchesse Maria Teresa and the Sports Minister Mne Anne Brasseur of Luxembourg. I was introduced as an adopted son from Ireland to Luxembourg. She thanked me for the good work I had done and was a good Ambassador for Newport/Westport. We spoke for a few minutes about the two countries and what they had in common. She was full of praise for the Irish business people who had set up in their capital of Luxembourg.
I pointed out to her that the athletes were very friendly, gentle and kind and it was a pleasure to have them in my house. A TV crew from Luxembourg recorded all this and their journalist took notes.
To cap it all I was invited to a reception on the 27th June 2003 in honour of their team. The reception was held at the Exhibition area of the University Industry Centre, UCD, Belfield. The Consul of Luxembourg in Ireland and the Ambassador of Luxembourg in London also attended it.
I felt very proud when I was presented with a special €10 and €5 coins specially minted by the Bank of Ireland who were the main sponsors for the games. The games are now over, but hopefully their legacy will remain in Ireland. People from all over the world will have watched our example and will have helped to influence Special Olympics programmes all over the world. So all in all I felt happy, as the feedback I got was that they had an enjoyable 5 days and nights in Newport.
Now as we face into a new year I hope that we can carry the spirit of the Special Olympics with us in our daily lives and that will be a fitting testament to the greatest sporting event ever to take place in our country.
Modern technology (The computer) means that we can keep in touch with one another.
Yours truly,
Tom Chambers
"The Billy Ranch"
Newport
Co. Mayo.
E-mail: thomaschambers@eircom.net
Sam Mayerus (athlete) and captain of the Luxembourg Bocce Team and Geoffrey Bourdouxhe arrived at 00.15am on the 15th June last. After exchanging presents and a few minutes on the computer to send e-mails home they went to bed. Sam had very little English but was delighted to be sharing a house with someone like himself confined to a wheelchair.
I woke them as 8.00am to the noise of sheep, dogs and cattle, but when they pulled the curtains and looked out to see trees, mountains and even wild weeds they thought it was heaven. As they had come from a built-up area they were not expecting scenery like this.
Taking an athlete means welcoming them into ones home, you become part of their effort, sharing firsthand their success and disappointment. It also meant that I would be playing a critical role in contributing to the towns and country. Been disabled myself I felt I was up to the challenge. In a space of a few days’ people who arrived as strangers would become friends.
A lot of words have been spoken about the athletes and what it means to the disabled. Words can open doors, but they can just as easily create barriers.
I tried to give them a bit of my knowledge of the Irish heritage. One typical day was getting up to a traditional breakfast at 9.30am. At 10.00am I had laid on an interview with Tommy Marren of NWR. The coach spoke with Tommy about the sport Bocce. Then off to bowling in Castlebar. A meal and then a scenic tour of Curraune and Achill Island. Back to Westport for a meal and when we got home I showed them a game of our National sport. It was a semi-final GAA match between Mayo and Cork.
The official opening of the Games in Croke Park, which I attended, was something I will never forget. Then the games itself which I supported as much as I could were very well organised and the beauty of it was that a book could be written about every athlete.
Hosting the Athletes could not be as successible without the support of a good committee. Also the people who gave me linen for the beds, flowers and home made bread and the team for erecting the flags outside my house. The people who called and made them welcome.
A special word of thanks to the Woods Hotel in Westport for allowing the team to train in particular to Margaret Mulchrone, Corporate Marketing Executive of the hotel for her kindness. To Staunton’s Sport Shop in Westport in sponsoring a Mayo football jersey and to C/C Cellular in Rosbeg, Westport for also sponsoring mobile phone components. To the Order of Malta who were always on standby while the team trained in the Hotel. Not forgetting Sean Geraghty with his specially adapted van who was always only a phone call away and Ann Kelly-Hoban who made sure the guests had a change of linen every night.
Above all the good days I spent with the Luxembourg team one day must stand out. It was on Friday 27th June when attending the games in Simmonscourt I was introduced to Eunice Kennedy Smith, the founder member of the Special Olympics. Later I was introduced to H.R.H. the Grande-Duchesse Maria Teresa and the Sports Minister Mne Anne Brasseur. I was introduced as an adopted son from Ireland to Luxembourg. She thanked me for the good work I had done and was a good Ambassador for Newport/Westport. We spoke for a few minutes about the two countries and what they had in common. She was full of praise for the Irish business people who had set up in their capital of Luxembourg.
I pointed out to her that the athletes were very friendly, gentle and kind and it was a pleasure to have them in my house. A TV crew from Luxembourg recorded all this and their journalist took notes.
To cap it all I was invited to a reception on the 27th June 2003 in honour of their team. The reception was held at the Exhibition area of the University Industry Centre, UCD, Belfield. The Consul of Luxembourg in Ireland and the Ambassador of Luxembourg in London also attended it.
I felt very proud when I was presented with a special €10 and €5 coins specially minted by the Bank of Ireland who were the main sponsors for the games. The games are now over, but hopefully their legacy will remain in Ireland. People from all over the world will have watched our example and will have helped to influence Special Olympics programmes all over the world.
So all in all I felt happy, as the feedback I got was that they had an enjoyable 5 days and nights.
Yours truly,
Tom Chambers
"The Billy Ranch"
Newport
Co. Mayo.
E-mail: thomaschambers@eircom.net
Newport Tidy Towns Monthly Meeting
At our monthly meeting of Newport Tidy Towns Committee on the 3rd March 2005, a number of topics were on the agenda.
The "Good Friday Clean up" as was carried in last week’s edition of the Local papers.
Two of our members had a meeting with Pete Griffiths, the Rural Social Scheme Supervisor and it was agreed that work would be done to the following: Canon Killen Park, benches, rail, flower beds, walls, paint all seats and work on the edge of road from Kelly’s house to the turn on the Quay Road. The telephone Kiosk on Main Street is to be repaired in the next few weeks.
The meeting was attended by Frank Chambers, our Local Councillor who asked the meeting what work is needed to be done by the Council and the following was agreed: Paint all lamp posts in the town, clear more grass margin at the top of Quay Road towards slip-way and tar into wall, thus making room for a few extra areas for vehicles to park, the flower boxes to be painted. The viaduct to be cleared of grass and gravel put each side of path. This work was to be completed by the beginning of June this year.
Cllr. Chambers informed the meeting that he would ask Frank Walshe, the Area Engineer if he could get a machine to clean the tide-side of Canon Killen Park. Cllr. Chambers also when asked said that Kelly’s Garage was going through Legal Process and Planning was coming up.
He also informed the Committee that works on the Mulranny Road footpath would start in a few weeks. He also stated that €20,000 was allocated to complete the work to finish the roads in Knocknageeha Estate and extend the footpath to the "Billy Ranch".
But the main talking point at the meeting was how to overcome the litter problem we have in and around the streets of your town because it is your litter. A member of the Committee has agreed to pay a visit to the Local school and have a talk with the pupils about litter, as they were beneficiary of an Environment award last year.
We are calling on all business people and householders for their support in ensuring that their premises and homes are painted, kept neat, tidy and looking their best. We are a voluntary group of dedicated people working to maintain our town as a vital and pleasant place not only for our visitors but those of us who work and live here.
All those should help to improve the marks for this year Tidy Competition and Litter League, which starts in the first week in April 2005.
The Tidy Town Collection Date is on Friday 20th May 2005, subject to Permission and will be looking for volunteers.
Finally, if anyone out there has any ideas of their own of improving the outlook of the town or at the outskirts of the town, e.g., flowers or rockery beds, please contact or call into Tom, Committee Secretary @"The Billy Ranch", Tel: 098-41545 or any member of the Committee.
At our monthly meeting of Newport Tidy Towns Committee on the 3rd March 2005, a number of topics were on the agenda.
The "Good Friday Clean up" as was carried in last week’s edition of the Local papers.
Two of our members had a meeting with Pete Griffiths, the Rural Social Scheme Supervisor and it was agreed that work would be done to the following: Canon Killen Park, benches, rail, flower beds, walls, paint all seats and work on the edge of road from Kelly’s house to the turn on the Quay Road. The telephone Kiosk on Main Street is to be repaired in the next few weeks.
The meeting was attended by Frank Chambers, our Local Councillor who asked the meeting what work is needed to be done by the Council and the following was agreed: Paint all lamp posts in the town, clear more grass margin at the top of Quay Road towards slip-way and tar into wall, thus making room for a few extra areas for vehicles to park, the flower boxes to be painted. The viaduct to be cleared of grass and gravel put each side of path. This work was to be completed by the beginning of June this year.
Cllr. Chambers informed the meeting that he would ask Frank Walshe, the Area Engineer if he could get a machine to clean the tide-side of Canon Killen Park. Cllr. Chambers also when asked said that Kelly’s Garage was going through Legal Process and Planning was coming up.
He also informed the Committee that works on the Mulranny Road footpath would start in a few weeks. He also stated that €20,000 was allocated to complete the work to finish the roads in Knocknageeha Estate and extend the footpath to the "Billy Ranch".
But the main talking point at the meeting was how to overcome the litter problem we have in and around the streets of your town because it is your litter. A member of the Committee has agreed to pay a visit to the Local school and have a talk with the pupils about litter, as they were beneficiary of an Environment award last year.
We are calling on all business people and householders for their support in ensuring that their premises and homes are painted, kept neat, tidy and looking their best. We are a voluntary group of dedicated people working to maintain our town as a vital and pleasant place not only for our visitors but those of us who work and live here.
All those should help to improve the marks for this year Tidy Competition and Litter League, which starts in the first week in April 2005.
The Tidy Town Collection Date is on Friday 20th May 2005, subject to Permission and will be looking for volunteers.
Finally, if anyone out there has any ideas of their own of improving the outlook of the town or at the outskirts of the town, e.g., flowers or rockery beds, please contact or call into Tom, Committee Secretary @"The Billy Ranch", Tel: 098-41545 or any member of the Committee.
Letter looking for a Grant
Charlie Lambert
Mayo Sports Partnership
Mayo Co. Council
Castlebar
Co. Mayo
16th March 2006
Dear Charlie,
I am writing to on behalf of a Disability Committee which meet at the Westport Family Recourse Centre, Fairgreen, Westport.
One of our targets is to have a “Sports for All” day sometime in 2006. As this would be a huge project to set-up, we propose to have a meeting on the 28th March 2006, at 11 am in the Centre.
We would like it if you could find the time to attend, so that we could get a sub-committee elected to get the project up and running.
With Kind Regards,
--------------------------
Tom Chambers,
Co-ordinator
Westport Family Resource Centre
The Fairgreen
Westport
Co. Mayo
E-mail: thomaschanbers@eircom.net
Tel: (0(98) 41545 or 086/3552047
Mayo Sports Partnership
Mayo Co. Council
Castlebar
Co. Mayo
16th March 2006
Dear Charlie,
I am writing to on behalf of a Disability Committee which meet at the Westport Family Recourse Centre, Fairgreen, Westport.
One of our targets is to have a “Sports for All” day sometime in 2006. As this would be a huge project to set-up, we propose to have a meeting on the 28th March 2006, at 11 am in the Centre.
We would like it if you could find the time to attend, so that we could get a sub-committee elected to get the project up and running.
With Kind Regards,
--------------------------
Tom Chambers,
Co-ordinator
Westport Family Resource Centre
The Fairgreen
Westport
Co. Mayo
E-mail: thomaschanbers@eircom.net
Tel: (0(98) 41545 or 086/3552047
The Sports Day 2006, 14th October
It had everything. We had boxers and Local Councillors, People running for the next election and mechanics, doctors and members of the local garda, people who completed marathons in their wheelchairs and lorry drivers for Mayo Co. Council. Young boys/girls completing with senior citizens. Hoteliers and carpenters. We had a very experience goalkeeper and a great supporter of Liverpool playing with a supporter of Watford and Manchester United playing together in a pleasant atmosphere.
The “sports for all” day on the 14th October 2006 had that and I hope it can continue next year and it grows better as years go by. Sports for all is good for all if it is played for all. We had persons from the 2003 World Special Olympics and participation’s from the Belfast Special games competing.
From 11.45 am till 4.45 pm, people were coming and going with music blearing all the time. The face painting was ongoing in a professional way and the smile on the kids faces was something else. Kids and grown ups admiring their medals as they won their matches. Young kids playing chess with a publican.
Every game and winner had their own story to tell. Sandwiches and crisps and soft drinks were abundant on the day. People came from far and near. It was well represented by local representations.
Where else would you get such a group of people to plan together . All sports were played in a fund atmosphere, although the red card was nearly produced by the referee in the soccer match. Where would you get a team of the garda playing a team of young kids in a soccer tournament for medals.
It was great to see Fianna Fail/Fine Gael/Sein Fein/Green Parties playing games and enjoying themselves.
It was covered by all local papers. I believe everyone of all walks of life were there except “ Sam” it’s a pity he could not make, but there will be a place for him next year.
The real winners were the people who came on the day. Not even a puncture to a wheelchair. All in all, the games had a cardinal atmosphere on the day. A bit of history was created on the 14th Oct. 2006.
There were winners and losers, the losers were the ones who failed to turn up on the day. Myself personally, it was a great achievement for someone is wheelchair bound for over 25 years. But it could not be done without the support I got from all the committee who worked so hard for the last 6 months. Take a bow all of you.
It had everything. We had boxers and Local Councillors, People running for the next election and mechanics, doctors and members of the local garda, people who completed marathons in their wheelchairs and lorry drivers for Mayo Co. Council. Young boys/girls completing with senior citizens. Hoteliers and carpenters. We had a very experience goalkeeper and a great supporter of Liverpool playing with a supporter of Watford and Manchester United playing together in a pleasant atmosphere.
The “sports for all” day on the 14th October 2006 had that and I hope it can continue next year and it grows better as years go by. Sports for all is good for all if it is played for all. We had persons from the 2003 World Special Olympics and participation’s from the Belfast Special games competing.
From 11.45 am till 4.45 pm, people were coming and going with music blearing all the time. The face painting was ongoing in a professional way and the smile on the kids faces was something else. Kids and grown ups admiring their medals as they won their matches. Young kids playing chess with a publican.
Every game and winner had their own story to tell. Sandwiches and crisps and soft drinks were abundant on the day. People came from far and near. It was well represented by local representations.
Where else would you get such a group of people to plan together . All sports were played in a fund atmosphere, although the red card was nearly produced by the referee in the soccer match. Where would you get a team of the garda playing a team of young kids in a soccer tournament for medals.
It was great to see Fianna Fail/Fine Gael/Sein Fein/Green Parties playing games and enjoying themselves.
It was covered by all local papers. I believe everyone of all walks of life were there except “ Sam” it’s a pity he could not make, but there will be a place for him next year.
The real winners were the people who came on the day. Not even a puncture to a wheelchair. All in all, the games had a cardinal atmosphere on the day. A bit of history was created on the 14th Oct. 2006.
There were winners and losers, the losers were the ones who failed to turn up on the day. Myself personally, it was a great achievement for someone is wheelchair bound for over 25 years. But it could not be done without the support I got from all the committee who worked so hard for the last 6 months. Take a bow all of you.
Dáil Question
No: 1051
*To ask the Minister for Transport if there is grant assistance available to make a taxi/hackney minibus wheelchair accessible.
- Michael Ring.
* For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 30th September, 2003.
Ref No: 20183/03
Answered by the Minister for Transport
(Séamus Brennan, TD)
REPLY
There is no grant assistance available for this purpose. However the New Taxi Advisory Council and the Taxi Regulator can review the situation in light of evolving policy.
Take Number: WRYY
Next Take Number: WRZZ
Forum
DÁIL ÉIREANN
Sitting Time
Sitting Date
22:48
29 September 2004
Text:
^ Written Answers Nos. 978 - 997. ^
^^ Taxi Regulations. ^^
995. Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Transport the advice guidelines or financial assistance which is available to assist a minibus or taxi owner to convert their vehicles to be fully wheelchair accessible. [21980/04]
996. Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Transport the number of fully wheelchair accessible taxis and minibuses which are registered at present and on a county basis. [21981/04]
997. Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Transport if he will amend the suitability requirements for wheelchair accessible taxis to consider the rear tailgate type vehicle. [21982/04]
Minister for Transport (Mr. Brennan): I propose to take Questions Nos. 995 to 997, inclusive, together.
The licensing and operation of small public service vehicles, including wheelchair accessible taxis, is governed by the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations 1963 to 2002 and the Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) Regulations 1963 to 2002. Under these regulations, a licence may only be granted following presentation of a vehicle test certificate and certificate of suitability issued by the National Car Testing Service, NCTS, which confirms that the vehicle is suitable for the purpose of being licensed as a taxi, wheelchair accessible taxi, hackney or limousine, as appropriate. The testing of a vehicle for taxi licensing purposes is undertaken by NCTS in accordance with the relevant regulatory requirements, including the requirements for wheelchair accessible taxis contained in the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations 1998 (SI No. 47 of 1998), in the case of such a licence application. There is no financial assistance available to assist vehicle owners to convert vehicles to comply with the requirements of the wheelchair accessible taxi specification.
The Taxi Regulation Act 2003 specifically provides that an objective of the Commission for Taxi Regulation is to promote access to small public service vehicles by persons with disabilities. In this regard, the commission will be tasked with the determination of the future policy in relation to accessible taxis, including the consideration of possible revisions or improvements to the existing wheelchair accessible taxi specification. It is envisaged that this will necessitate specific discussions with both disability and taxi representative groups.
Under the public service vehicle regulations the granting and renewal of wheelchair accessible taxi licences is the responsibility of individual local licensing authorities to whom applications for licences are made. Accordingly, information regarding the total number of wheelchair accessible taxis licensed currently is not available in my Department. However, the following table outlines the position at 31 December 2003 based on statistical information provided for my Department by local authorities.
Wheelchair Accessible Taxis Total number of licences
granted at 31.12.2003
Licensing Authority and still current
at that date
Athlone Town Council 3
Ballina Town Council 2
Bray Town Council 6
Birr Town Council 0
Carlow Town Council 13
Castlebar Town Council 1
Cobh Town Council 1
Cork City Council 35
Donegal County Council 1
Stranorlar 0
Drogheda Borough Council 7
Dublin City Council 1001
Dundalk Town Council 5
Dungarvan Town Council 2
Ennis Town Council 2
Fermoy Town Council 0
Galway City Council 42
Kilkenny Borough Council 8
Killarney Town Council 10
Laois County Council 9
Letterkenny Town Council 9
Limerick City Council 11
Longford Town Council 2
Longford County Council 0
Mallow Town Council 2
Mhuinebeag (Carlow Town Council) 1
Naas Town Council 6
Navan Town Council 16
Sligo Borough 4
Thurles Town Council 0
Tipperary Town Council 0
Tralee Town Council 1
Tullow (Carlow Town Council) 0
Waterford City Council 13
Westmeath Urban (Mullingar) 14
Westmeath Co. Co. (Rural) 4
Wexford Borough Council 7
Total 1,238
Section to follow:
Section WRZZ follows.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Last Modified by: Margaret Rushe at 30/09/2004 06.34.45 p.m.
Previously modified by: Mary Griffin, Margaret Rushe
No: 1051
*To ask the Minister for Transport if there is grant assistance available to make a taxi/hackney minibus wheelchair accessible.
- Michael Ring.
* For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 30th September, 2003.
Ref No: 20183/03
Answered by the Minister for Transport
(Séamus Brennan, TD)
REPLY
There is no grant assistance available for this purpose. However the New Taxi Advisory Council and the Taxi Regulator can review the situation in light of evolving policy.
Take Number: WRYY
Next Take Number: WRZZ
Forum
DÁIL ÉIREANN
Sitting Time
Sitting Date
22:48
29 September 2004
Text:
^ Written Answers Nos. 978 - 997. ^
^^ Taxi Regulations. ^^
995. Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Transport the advice guidelines or financial assistance which is available to assist a minibus or taxi owner to convert their vehicles to be fully wheelchair accessible. [21980/04]
996. Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Transport the number of fully wheelchair accessible taxis and minibuses which are registered at present and on a county basis. [21981/04]
997. Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Transport if he will amend the suitability requirements for wheelchair accessible taxis to consider the rear tailgate type vehicle. [21982/04]
Minister for Transport (Mr. Brennan): I propose to take Questions Nos. 995 to 997, inclusive, together.
The licensing and operation of small public service vehicles, including wheelchair accessible taxis, is governed by the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations 1963 to 2002 and the Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) Regulations 1963 to 2002. Under these regulations, a licence may only be granted following presentation of a vehicle test certificate and certificate of suitability issued by the National Car Testing Service, NCTS, which confirms that the vehicle is suitable for the purpose of being licensed as a taxi, wheelchair accessible taxi, hackney or limousine, as appropriate. The testing of a vehicle for taxi licensing purposes is undertaken by NCTS in accordance with the relevant regulatory requirements, including the requirements for wheelchair accessible taxis contained in the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations 1998 (SI No. 47 of 1998), in the case of such a licence application. There is no financial assistance available to assist vehicle owners to convert vehicles to comply with the requirements of the wheelchair accessible taxi specification.
The Taxi Regulation Act 2003 specifically provides that an objective of the Commission for Taxi Regulation is to promote access to small public service vehicles by persons with disabilities. In this regard, the commission will be tasked with the determination of the future policy in relation to accessible taxis, including the consideration of possible revisions or improvements to the existing wheelchair accessible taxi specification. It is envisaged that this will necessitate specific discussions with both disability and taxi representative groups.
Under the public service vehicle regulations the granting and renewal of wheelchair accessible taxi licences is the responsibility of individual local licensing authorities to whom applications for licences are made. Accordingly, information regarding the total number of wheelchair accessible taxis licensed currently is not available in my Department. However, the following table outlines the position at 31 December 2003 based on statistical information provided for my Department by local authorities.
Wheelchair Accessible Taxis Total number of licences
granted at 31.12.2003
Licensing Authority and still current
at that date
Athlone Town Council 3
Ballina Town Council 2
Bray Town Council 6
Birr Town Council 0
Carlow Town Council 13
Castlebar Town Council 1
Cobh Town Council 1
Cork City Council 35
Donegal County Council 1
Stranorlar 0
Drogheda Borough Council 7
Dublin City Council 1001
Dundalk Town Council 5
Dungarvan Town Council 2
Ennis Town Council 2
Fermoy Town Council 0
Galway City Council 42
Kilkenny Borough Council 8
Killarney Town Council 10
Laois County Council 9
Letterkenny Town Council 9
Limerick City Council 11
Longford Town Council 2
Longford County Council 0
Mallow Town Council 2
Mhuinebeag (Carlow Town Council) 1
Naas Town Council 6
Navan Town Council 16
Sligo Borough 4
Thurles Town Council 0
Tipperary Town Council 0
Tralee Town Council 1
Tullow (Carlow Town Council) 0
Waterford City Council 13
Westmeath Urban (Mullingar) 14
Westmeath Co. Co. (Rural) 4
Wexford Borough Council 7
Total 1,238
Section to follow:
Section WRZZ follows.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Last Modified by: Margaret Rushe at 30/09/2004 06.34.45 p.m.
Previously modified by: Mary Griffin, Margaret Rushe
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