New voice for people with disabilities

Local people living with disabilities have been given a new platform to voice their concerns from following the recent launch of Tipperary Disabled Persons Organisation.

Geared towards empowering disabled people to have a better quality of life within their local community, the Disabled Persons Organisation (DPO) is a relatively new concept that has been set up in several counties.

The Tipperary DPO was launched last month at the Talbot Hotel in Clonmel. Among those in attendance was Ballina man Derek Spaight, a community activist who has spoken out on disabled persons issues many times over the years. He described the DPO as “a voice for people who don’t feel confident yet to speak up for themselves”.

Also among those in attendance at the launch was Nicola Meacle, Voice Community Development Worker with Independent Living Movement Ireland, a project funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht.

“DPOs are organisations that are led and controlled by disabled individuals,” Ms Meacle explained. “They play a crucial role in advocating for the rights of disabled people and ensuring their voices are heard in discussions about their needs and rights.”

BARRIERS

She said the Tipperary DPO should be seen more as a consultative framework for policy discussion than a service provider. It aims to provide disabled people with an opportunity to identify local issues that limit their inclusion in society and to identify strategies to deal with those barriers.

If, for example, a local authority introduced an urban regeneration project that resulted in a loss of disabled parking spaces, the DPO would work with the authority in ensuring that the spaces are replaced at an appropriate location elsewhere. Other examples might include accessing public transport and dealing with the HSE.

“DPOs create spaces for disabled people to connect, share experiences, and collaborate on initiatives that promote inclusion and accessibility,” Ms Meacle said. “DPOs are vital in ensuring that disabled individuals have a representative voice and access to the support they need to thrive in society. Engaging with these organisations can provide valuable resources and a sense of community.

“Having a DPO in Tipperary will ensure that disabled people in the county can advocate collectively for their rights and engage in meaningful dialogue with decision-makers.”

Mr Spaight hoped the DPO would also draw attention to the barriers that are often unwittingly put in the way of people with disabilities.

“It’s not disabled people that make them disabled,” he said. “Society is making them disabled because of the barriers that society or governments put in the way of people with disabilities.”

BASED ONLINE

Transport is a huge issue for many people with disabilities when it comes to accessing employment, education, training and being part of community. All DPO meetings will therefore be online. An online platform is to be created where participants could benefit from peer support.

The Tipperary project is still very much in its infancy with a committee yet to be formed. Mr Spaight is one of a number of local community activists involved, and Ms Mecale hoped to work with him in building a strong network of people committed to having a “truly inclusive society” in Tipperary.

‘ACTUALLY MEANINGFUL’

“Really, it’s on us disabled people to make sure that this strategy is a live document that’s actually meaningful as opposed to yet another nice-sounding strategy that ends up gathering dust on someone’s shelf,” she said. “For a lot of people, the idea isn’t new – speaking up for themselves. Years of not being listened to can really grind people down and undermine their self-confidence.”

Citing her own experience of Cork DPO, Ms Meacle added that the organisation is not just for people with a physical impairment but also extends to the likes of visual impairment or mental health issues.

Mr Spaight, who spoke at the launch along with Maria O’Brien (South Tipp), said he is delighted to be part of the project. “I think it’s a wonderful initiative for disabled people,” he said. “People with disabilities need a voice. We have a platform now to give them a voice, so I think this is a wonderful initiative.”

Both he and Ms Spaight emphasised that the success of Tipperary DPO would depend on the participation of local disabled people.