Make Way Day event highlights barriers for people with disabilities

Members of Westmeath County Council, Independent People with Disabilities, and the Westmeath Community Development Disability Working Group gathered in Athlone on Friday, September 26, to launch Make Way Day 2025.

The annual national event highlights everyday obstacles in public spaces that limit the independence of people with disabilities.

Among those present were Cllr Tom Farrell, Westmeath County Council District Manager Annie Blessington, Disability Working Group co-ordinator Linda Joe Quinn, and Dermot Hope of Independent People with Disabilities.

Mr Hope said his group, founded in Athlone, works across Westmeath, Longford and Roscommon, to ensure the voices of people with disabilities, their families and carers are heard.

"Every day, people with disabilities face barriers that are not about their impairment, but about the environment around them," he said.

"When bins are left on footpaths, when cars block disabled spaces, or when delivery vans pull up without thought, independence and safety are taken away."

He spoke about one incident on Sean Costello Street, where a wheelchair user was forced into traffic because bins blocked the pavement.

"This is not just inconvenient, it is unsafe," he said. "We need better enforcement of parking rules, awareness campaigns for businesses, and secure, safe footpaths for all."

Independent People with Disabilities member Noel Mulvihill praised recent works by Westmeath County Council, which he said had made a big difference for wheelchair users. But he noted that older side streets and overgrown hedges continue to pose challenges.

"I shouldn’t have to go the whole way around town to get down off a footpath," he said.

Cllr Farrell acknowledged the concerns and said local groups had been proactive in shaping solutions.

"They come up with great ideas, which we can then take on board," he said.

"Funding is always built into streetscape projects to ensure accessibility."

He added: "People with disabilities are the same as anyone else in society. They deserve respect, and for everyone to be more aware of their needs, on footpaths, in parking bays, and in designated spaces."