Politicians sample life with a disability

POLITICIANS experienced at first hand the difficulties faced by disabled people during a unique experiment in Cork yesterday.

Five city councillors spent the morning in the city living with a temporary disability to mark International Day of People with Disabilities.

Lord Mayor Michael Ahern, who spent the morning in a motorised wheelchair, had to ring six taxi companies before managing to secure a wheelchair-accessible taxi.

And he also discovered that a wheelchair-accessible toilet in one of the city’s biggest bars was too small for his motorised chair.

He was one of four councillors who “acquired” visual, hearing or physical disabilities for the exercise.

They were asked to complete a series of tasks such as buying a newspaper, getting money from an ATM, pricing a TV and a holiday and buying a cup of coffee.

Cllr Deirdre Clune (FG), who took control of a manual wheelchair, said the experiment was a real eye -opener.

“We have made huge improvements in the city centre. But we could make huge improvements to the streets and footpaths just outside the centre,” she said.

Cracked footpaths and sagging trenches where repairs have been carried out posed problems, she said.

Donie O’Leary, chairman of the Cork Network of People with Disabilities, said the event was designed to raise awareness among politicians of their commitments under the 1995 Barcelona Declaration, where up to 350 cities and towns signed up to a commitment to make their areas accessible to people with disabilities.

But he criticised certain city councillors for not even acknowledging yesterday’s event.

“I wrote to all 31 councillors on October 17 to remind them of their commitment to the Barcelona Declaration,” he said.

“We got seven commitments and four apologies. So almost two thirds of the council ignored us. And no members of the Government parties took part in yesterday’s event.

“It calls into question their commitment to the Barcelona Declaration.”

Mr O’Leary plans to compile a full report on the day’s activities and send copies to the taxi regulator and the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to highlight key issues.