People with Disabilities in Ireland
4th Floor Jervis House
Jervis Street
Dublin 1
Telephone: 01 87 21 74 4
Fax: 01 87 21 77 1
Email: info@pwdi.ie
The Barcelona Declaration was launched in 1995. Those who sign up to it agree to:
. Promote disability awareness and ensure the rights of people with disabilities to be different and their right to receive personal attention
. Develop policies and have an equality/disability proof decision-making process
. Consult people with disabilities
. Ensure that people with disabilities have access to the social and physical environments as well as services
. Provide training programmes dealing with equality/disability issues
. Develop monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment procedures for actions, projects, and policies regarding equality/disability issues.
However, almost 10 years later, no concrete evidence exists to show that Local Authorities, through planning, building programmes and elsewhere, are taking the issues of equality seriously enough.
On the contrary, the experiences of people around the country does not inspire confidence that the situation is likely to change for the better any time soon. For example, the existing building regulations are being flouted and no one is being held to account. Some Networks have attempted to open dialogue with Local Authorities with a view to having a positive input and indicating how a more inclusive approach to disability could assist all elements of the community. Their experiences have not been encouraging.
Serious questions must now be asked as to why as many as 75% of Local Authorities have signed up to the Barcelona Agreement, yet so little seems to be changing for people with disabilities. Signing up internationally for high standards of equality is one thing. It is actions on the ground at local level that will determine whether the Barcelona Agreement really means anything.
The sad fact is that when it comes to disability we are still in the dark ages. Progress has been minimal.
Local Authorities across the country should now be asked to publish a list of actions each has taken to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities since signing up to the international Barcelona Agreement. And it is up to all of us to exert as much pressure as we can, locally and nationally, politically and in the media.
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