Hey! Don't block the way of any Laois people

Every corner of Ireland will be put to the test for basic access issues on Friday, September 30, when the Make Way Day campaign returns.

Laois County Council will be supporting #makewayday22 by creating awareness around the access issues faced by the people of Laois as they go about their daily business.

“Make Way Day” is a campaign that brings the disability and wider community together, to consider the needs of people with disabilities in the public spaces we all share.

It is led nationally by the Disability Federation of Ireland and is a unique collaboration across Ireland and the voluntary and local government sectors. But most of all it’s about people with disabilities.

“Hey, this blocks my way!” is the message. MORE BELOW PCITURE.

Pictured: Aran Murphy and her assistance dog “Buttons” and Caitriona Ryan, manager Laois Volunteer Centre

The organisers say it’s too easy to label these issues as “not my problem”. They say you may be right in thinking that the car indiscriminately parked on the footpath is not an inconvenience to you but some day it might and not everyone was born with their disability.

They add that all of us are getting older and maybe less mobile as time goes by and navigating through cars parked on a footpath can be challenging. Some citizens that may be visually impaired may experience difficulty, encountering an advertising board outside your business. The organisers say we all have a role to play in making our streets easier to navigate.

Most people are unaware of the problems this behaviuor causes and but a friendly reminder is enough to get most people to change.

Disability Foundation Ireland say ‘Make Way Day’ is not about pointing the finger at local authorities, other agencies, or randomly scattered activism. They say the whole point of the day is making the public aware of an issue that is fully within their power to change. It’s about one impactful, coordinated and decisive day of action.

As part of Make Way Day 2022, Laois County Council in collaboration with IWA, NCBI, NLN & Rehabcare Portlaoise, Laois Sports Partnership & Laois PPN and supported by Volunteer Laois will be conducting a number of Walkability Audits on Friday morning, 30th September in the following locations:

• Portlaoise (departing the Parish Centre at 10.30am);
• Stradbally (departing Arthouse at 11.30am) and
• Rathdowney ( departing Cuan Bhride at 11.30am)

The objective of these audits is to identify what we can do to make our streets more accessible.

Remember everyone can get involved on social media using the hashtag #MakeWayDay22. 

The campaign was phenomenally successful last year, reaching over 1,000,000 people on social media.

Pictured: Caitriona Ryan, Laois Volunteer Centre Manager, Cllr Thomasina Connell, Cathaoirleach Laois County Council, Tom Curran (Staff Officer, Community Section Laois County Council0, Karen Chadwick, Development Officer, Laois Volunteer Centre

Contact our Community Department, Laois County Council, if you wish to find out more on this initiative- 057-8664060 and/or 086-0653313 or email dce@laoiscoco.ie

The official launch was attended by Dan Bergin, Laois PPN, Emma O'Connor, Healthy Ireland Co-ordinator, Cathaoirleach, Cllr Thomasina Connell, Simon Walton, Director of Services, Roads Dept, Sylvia Rouget, IWA, Caroline Myers, Laois Sports Partnership and Anne Marie Kirrane, A/Administrative Officer, LCC, Aran Murphy with her dog Buttons, Louise Coss, Jordan Percy, Tommy White, Pat Whelan, and Frank Hanley,  Caitriona Ryan, Laois Volunteer Centre Manager, Karen Chadwick, Development Officer, Laois Volunteer Centre and Tom Curran LCC.

For more information on this initiative go to www.makewayday.com