People with disabilities: ‘Our lives shouldn't be subject to availability’

Kayleigh McKevitt at Clontarf Road Dart Station where Access for All Ireland campaign group held a demonstration to highlight the lack of reliability and accessibility on public transport alongside the cost-of-living crisis for wheelchair users. Picture: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin

“Our lives shouldn’t be subject to availability,” was the call from activists in Dublin, as demonstrators gathered to demand equality in the likes transport, housing, and healthcare for people with disabilities.

The Access for All campaign group protested outside Clontarf Road Dart station to raise awareness of the difficulties they face accessing basic services each day, and to urge the Government and others to take action to support them.

In particular, they highlighted issues around access to rail services and claimed that information on whether lifts are working or not isn’t always readily available, often leaving people with disabilities unable to access transport services.

Sophia Mulvany (12), a wheelchair user at the demonstration, spoke in 2019 at a similar protest about the need for accessibility on rail services.

She said yesterday: “Here we are; three years later talking about these ongoing issues.

“As a young woman, how can I even trust I’ll be able to travel independently, how can someone with mobility issues travel on the train if nothing is working?” 

Ms Mulvany added that people with disabilities must stand up for their rights and their independence, and urge those in power to step up for those in need.

Access for All members, Philip Noonan, Laura Murphy, and Sophia Mulvany at the demonstration. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

Kayleigh McKevitt, who’s in her 20s, spoke about the lack of inclusion she feels is afforded to people in her position across society.

“I think we’re always last, always thought of last,” she said. 

“Our dignity is taken away from us and last to be put back. At this stage, we should be seen as equals.

“That’s what needs to happen. I don’t want other young people to still be in this position 20 years from now so they don’t have to feel how we felt growing up.

“Our lives shouldn’t be subject to availability, we should have the freedom and access everyone else has.” 

Wheelchair user Catherine Cooper highlighted the lack of accessible toilets in many parts of the country, and said that every building should have one available.

“We’re the second class citizens of Ireland,” she said. 

Try being in a wheelchair or a walker for a day. It’s not easy, believe me.

Representatives of the Irish Wheelchair Association, CRC, Fuss Ireland (Families Unite for Services and Support) and the Cost of Living Coalition all attended the demonstration.

Ms Mulvany’s father Bernard, a co-founder of Access for All and a People-Before-Profit activist, said the campaign had sprung up around accessibility at Dart stations which led to gains and promises made in the Programme for Government around the ringfencing of funding to ensure swift train platform lift repair and upgrades.

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“We feel let down on that particular issue,” he said. “But what’s happening now with cost-of-living crisis, it was always clear people with disabilities were on the margin."

Catherine Cooper with other members of Access for All at the demonstration at the Clontarf Road Dart station. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

He highlighted a report published by the Government last year on the cost of living with a disability in Ireland, which estimated annual costs between €9,482 and €11,734.

“People with disabilities are on €206 a week,” Mr Mulvany said. "During the pandemic, they decided €350 a week was the minimum needed to survive. If that’s the case, why aren’t people with disabilities, carers, pensions — why are they not getting the minimum they need to survive? We have this tidal wave of anger, of emotion, and people with disabilities have had enough.” 

Irish Rail has said it will continue to invest in its lifts in the coming years and has worked to reduce notice periods for passengers requiring assistance, as it works towards a goal of independent access on the network.

"Any issue with lift availability is regretted," a spokesperson said. "Our lift investment programme since 2020 has seen a significant improvement in lift availability, after an extended period of underinvestment. Where faults arise due to vandalism or other issues, the vast majority of lifts are returned to service within hours of the issue being reported, and we work to ensure that information is kept up to date."