Laois footpaths and towns a 'living hell' for people with disabilities
The public streets and paths of Laois as well as driver behaviour, has been slammed by a national group representing people with disabilities.
A long list of problems in Laois for people with disabilities, includes drivers parking on paths and in disability spaces, and injuries caused by e-scooter users.
The lack of attention has made life "a living hell" for wheelchair users and other people with disabilities.
Physical Impairment Ireland has also criticised Laois County Council for allegedly not cracking down on parking violations.
They say that "infrastructure" is the biggest barrier for their members.
Six Laois councillors are demanding action to improve facilities, from Laois County Council.
Cllrs Aidan Mullins, Caroline Dwane Stanley, Ben Brennan, James Kelly, Aisling Moran and Noel Tuohy tabled a joint motion to the recent November monthly meeting.
They read out a statement from Physical Impairment Ireland, sent to them to request action.
Leo Kavanagh is National Secretary of PII.
"I have been contacted for over a year about issues concerning people with disabilities and their loved ones in Laois," Mr kavanagh told them, listing out the problems.
"The constant abuse of Disabled Parking Bays throughout this county by able-bodied motorists parking in them and very poor enforcement of the laws pertaining to these Disabled Parking Bays by employees of Laois Co. Council.
"Inconsiderate drivers parking on footpaths making the lives of people with visual impairments and mobility issues especially a ‘living hell’.
"Pedestrian lights changing too quick for people with disabilities and older people also, especially in larger towns in the county.
"Vehicles parking on or near tactile paving at pedestrian lights putting the lives of people with mobility issues and especially visual impairments at risk.
"Cyclists and E-Scooters using footpaths and in some cases have seriously injured people with disabilities.
"There are far too many footpaths in every town and village in Laois poorly paved with crumbling and unravelling surfaces thus making it impossible for wheelchair users, people with mobility issues and visual impairments to use many of them and forcing these people on to busy roads and streets.
"Other issues that are causing concern for people with physical impairments are the number of bins, sandwich boards, bicycles tied to lamp posts, beer barrels and since Covid-19 Outdoor Dining. The Main Street in Portlaoise is an utter disgrace in relation to these matters.
"Road side overgrowth forcing people with disabilities to move again on to both roads and streets because footpaths are blocked with eg overgrown hedgerows.
"Picking up dog faecal matter can be a dirty job, but not doing it can have severe consequences. Both wheelchair users and people with visual impairments in Laois have raised this matter with us constantly. People can acquire certain serious diseases from dog faeceal matter. In humans, diseases transmitted between species are known as zoonoses.
He said that people with physical disabilities are calling to be included on the Joint Policing Committee for Laois to bring their expertise and knowledge to it.
"Under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) a Disabled Persons Organisation (DPO) like Physical Impairment Ireland should be ‘sitting’ on this committee. Many Joint Policing Committees in other counties now include DPOs on their groupings.
"In conclusion, Infrastructure is the single biggest barrier in the lives of people with disabilities. People with disabilities and their allies should not have to and cannot ‘police’ them," Mr Kavanagh said.
Cllr Mullins spoke for the six councillors and asked for the council to take the points on board.
"These are the barriers they see, we ask that they be taken into consideration," he said.
Physical Impairment Ireland is a volunteer led, non-profit Disabled Persons Organisation comprised of advocates and campaigners, all of whom are physically impaired or allies of the physically impaired people.
It was founded in March 2021, to promote the interests of physically impaired persons in Ireland, with the primary aim of achieving full integration of people with disabilities into society by advocating and campaigning for increased employment, education and accessibility for the physically impaired living in Ireland today.