Calls For More Disabled Parking In Dungarvan
The Waterford Disability Network has launched a campaign calling for additional disabled parking spaces in Dungarvan. Following a survey of disabled parking in the town, it was found that the number of spaces in Dungarvan falls short of the Irish Wheelchair Association’s recommended minimum.
Members of the Waterford Disability Network committee recently met with local Councillors Pat Nugent, Declan Doocey, and Green Party TD Marc Ó Cathasaigh in Dungarvan to discuss the issue.
Speaking after the meeting, Críostóir Ó Faoláin, who is leading the campaign with Waterford Disability Network said: “Parking has been an issue in the town for a long time, but no matter what way you look at it parking in the town centre will always be limited. The least we can do is make sure that the people who need it most have access to parking in the town centre. An able-bodied person like myself can walk a little further to get where I’m going, but not everyone has that option. We can and should make at least the minimum number of disabled parking spaces available in our town centre.”
Críostóir Ó Faoláin added “We are calling for a full review of disabled parking in the town centre to be carried out, and for a plan to ensure that progress is made in providing at least the minimum number of disabled parking spaces by redesignating 27 parking spaces around the town as disabled parking.”
The group has started a petition, available on the WDN Facebook page, to invite people to show their support for their campaign. Over 100 people have signed the petition to date, including over 50 businesses located in Dungarvan town centre.
Thank you to our W.D.N. fundraising sub committee (Melissa, Emily, Seán & Jo), that worked conscientiously on this Pobal application for funding under the Community Centres Investment Fund.
Absolutely delighted that we can now make the necessary adaptations and improvements to make our premises totally accessible to adults, youths and children with a range of disabilities.
W.D.N. will be upgrading our lighting system, which will not only be autism friendly, but will deliver tremendous savings in our use of electricity, enabling our organisation to become more energy efficient and ecologically friendly.
Waterford Disability Network are thrilled to be shortlisted for the 2022 Public Participation Awards (PPN).
Waterford Public Participation Network (PPN) is a network of more than 750 community, voluntary, social inclusion and environmental organizations in the Waterford City & County area. The PPN replaced the Community Fora in 2014. It is the main link through which the Local Authority connects with the communities.
Best of luck to all groups shortlisted for this prestigious event acknowledging those that volunteer in their Community and to all organizations that work so hard and submitted applications, working under the radar to help others.
WDN walkability audit
A Walkability Audit was carried out along Slievekeale Road and Barrack Street on Thursday, September 29th, by Waterford Disability Network. Organised by Seán Rohan and Maolíosa Ní Chléirigh the purpose was to see what obstacles along the route were experienced by a group of people with mixed abilities. Afterwards the information and insight gained was used to fill in a form from the National Transport Authority which will be uploaded to their website.
Seán Rohan said: “First I would like to credit Maolíosa with having the idea to carry out this audit and I was very happy to facilitate it taking place as it was such an educational experience. A lot was learned and we were especially glad to have been joined by three members of Waterford Council, namely Cllr Joanne Bailey, Cllr Donal Barry and Cllr Cristiona Kiely as well as Jemma Jacob the Schools Road Safety Officer for the Council and Susan Gallagher of SETU.
Waterford Disability Network hosts long-awaited information and networking event by Jo Bell
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On Saturday 23rd April, Waterford Disability Network’s ‘Dungarvan Disability Awareness Event’ took place in 360 Cookhouse. The information and networking event featured seven speakers, who discussed a range of issues which affect people with a disability, after which there was an opportunity for attendees to network with others who have an interest in disability issues, over a complimentary tea or coffee.
Conference on Autism
Text of article: The self-discovery of living with autism by Dermot Keyes
Carmel Hennessy stood before the microphone at St. Patrick’s Gateway with calm, understated confidence.
She told the gathering assembled at the inaugural Waterford Disability Network (WDN) Conference on Autism that she’d written down what she needed to say on a sheet of A4 paper. As she shared her story, Carmel spoke from the heart with colour, eloquence and clarity. I suspect there’ll be few better speeches I’ll report on all year.
“I was officially diagnosed as autistic about two years ago, just before the pandemic hit”, she began.
“The signs were probably always there but it wasn’t until I went to the National Learning Network (NLN, on the Cork Road) to do a retail course that things began to fall into place and I began to see others with kind of similar world views. For me, it was like being an ugly duckling and walking in and seeing a load of other swans and thinking, ‘woah, this is interesting’. An amazing journey was about to begin for me.”
Text of article: Wheelchair scheme proposed for Déise’s Blue Flag beaches by Darren Skelton
An idea that has been proposed more than once at Waterford City & county Council meetings is once again being pushed to the fore, by independent TD Matt Shanahan and former Councillor Blaise Hannigan.
“Myself and Blaise, who is a well known community activist in Tramore and always has been, before and after local politics, have been reviewing accessibility to beach areas in the county when the problem of access for wheelchair users became apparent,” Deputy Shanahan said. “Wheelchairs that are not ‘purpose built’ have great difficulty in being rolled along sand and stony areas. It is almost impossible for the user or any person attending a user to bring a conventional chair safely onto the beach for the purpose of enjoying what so many of us take for granted – time spent close to the shore or on the beach. From looking at the problem and speaking to both wheelchair users and representative groups it became apparent there are already existing specified beach wheelchairs in place in some other coastal counties which are managed through the beach life-guards service.”
Waterford Disability Network has launched its new website and presented its inaugural Inclusion Award.
Mayor of Waterford City and County Cllr Joe Kelly (Ind) was in attendance at a special event held at Waterford Disability Network’s New Street offices in the city on Monday August 16th. Due to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, attendance at the event was restricted but several organisations such as Waterford and South Kilkenny branch of Down Syndrome Ireland and ’50 Shades of Exceptional’ were represented.
Waterford Disability Network secretary Jo Cregan complimented Emily Breen in the Waterford Disability Network office for curating much of the content on the website. She also thanked David Fitzpatrick Web Design who designed the website to be as user friendly as possible. Gratitude was also expressed to the Granary Café who have always supported Waterford Disability Network.
Office manager Seán Rohan gave a demonstration of the new website. He explained that more content will be added based on feedback. It’s intended that videos will become a major feature as Covid-19 restrictions are lifted.
Waterford Disability Network secretary Jo Cregan complimented Emily Breen in the Waterford Disability Network office for curating much of the content on the website. She also thanked David Fitzpatrick Web Design who designed the website to be as user friendly as possible. Gratitude was also expressed to the Granary Café who have always supported Waterford Disability Network.
Office manager Seán Rohan gave a demonstration of the new website. He explained that more content will be added based on feedback. It’s intended that videos will become a major feature as Covid-19 restrictions are lifted.
