Louth drivers get the message on ‘Make Way Day’ in Dundalk

By Olivia Ryan, The Drogheda Independent

Bins, billboards and overgrown hedging.. just some of the everyday obstacles highlighted as part of the Disability Federation of Ireland’s ‘Make Way Day’ campaign.

The annual walkabout took place in Dundalk on Friday 26th September as part of nationwide awareness raising around the challenges faced by wheelchair users and the visually impaired.

Louth councillor, Maeve Yore, and local disability activist John Morgan were joined by Community Gardai Sgt. Ronan Loftus, Kate Patterson and Darragh Prior on the walkabout “to try to raise awareness and educate the public and motorists about the impact their actions have on people with disabilities.”

Cllr. Yore explained that the aim of the event is to “raise public awareness on the everyday obstacles people in wheelchairs and the visually impaired face” including obstacles like bins, billboards on footpaths, parking and cycling on footpaths and overgrown/hanging hedges and branches.

The campaign also examines any abuse of parking in disabled bays, and using disabled bays illegally when the permit holder is not in the car as well as broken footpaths, damaged pavements and uneven kerbing.

She added: “The community section and infrastructure staff of Louth County Council have over the years also completed walkabouts, audits and maintenance works so Dundalk is a better accessible place for all.”

Speaking after the event, John Morgan praised the local authority, the Gardai and the public for working together. “We have seen great improvements year on year for people with disabilities in Louth and with this and other campaigns it’s all about educating people, raising awareness what our daily challenges are when navigating our community spaces in wheelchairs and seeking solutions.”

He also thanked Cllr. Yore for her “unstinting support for people with disabilities across Louth on this and many other issues” saying that as a public representative she would highlight the issues raised with Louth County Council and keep him updated on progress.

“This year’s walkabout was the most successful to date as there was very little abuse of parking in disabled parking bays evident, and Gardai encountered and addressed first hand the issue of parking on footpaths /double yellow lines and obstacles on footpaths,” said John.

Cllr Yore added: “Great transformative works have been carried out in the Dundalk town and Municipal area since the inception of Make Way Day."

She praised the “collaborative approach to a programme of accessibility works by recently retired Senior Engineers Paddy Connolly and Sean O’Reilly and disability groups which have certainly improved the infrastructure throughout Dundalk in the last eight years.”

The Independent Councillor also acknowledged "the ongoing positive engagement and interaction by Louth County Council infrastructure, engineering and regeneration staff members and teams with people with disabilities about the regeneration and upgrade of Clanbrassil Street and St Nicholas Quarter, which have proved co-creation can lead to many successes including accessibility.”

She praised the “exemplary support and professionalism of the Community Gardai” who took part in the walkabout.