St Patrick’s Day festival will be ‘fully accessible’
By Mary Dennehy
THE St Patrick’s Day parade in Tallaght will be one of the first festivals in the country to be ‘fully accessible’, thanks to a new public toilet facility for adults and children with physical disabilities.
Alongside incorporating viewing sections along the parade route for wheelchair users and those with mobility issues, the festival committee has booked a new social enterprise call Mobiloo - which only launched in Ireland this month.
Mobiloo, which is designed by people with disabilities for people with disabilities, contains a toilet with retractable grab rail, an electronic hoist, which allows access to all areas of the Mobiloo, and a full size adjustable height changing table.
According to Tallaght Person of the Year, Sinead Tighe, a lack of adequate toilet facilities for children and adults with physical and mental disabilities leaves families with three options when thinking about attending an event - don’t go, leave early or change their child on the floor of a public toilet.
Sinead’s son Daniel has a rare genetic disorder called Sotos Syndrome, a disorder that causes a number of issues, including rapid growth during the early years of life.
Daniel also has severe intellectual disability, cortical visual impairment, low mobility, severe epilepsy and is non-verbal and incontinent, with Sinead faced with access issues in the community every day.
“It’s great that one of the first festivals in the country to use a Mobiloo is here in Tallaght”, Sinead told The Echo.
“This will be one of the first festivals in Ireland to be fully accessible and to have a toilet with a hoist and changing area for people with physical and mental disabilities.”
She added: “Whenever I think about attending an event or venue, I have to think about where I can change Daniel.
“If there is no suitable changing facilities I’m left three options, stay at home, go and leave early or change Daniel on the floor of a public toilet – which is not a nice situation for the child or parent.
“The lack of adequate toilet facilities for people with disabilities limits what we can do as a family.
“However, it’s great to see the introduction of Mobiloo at the St Patrick’s Day parade in Tallaght because it gives families a choice… and allows them to feel part of the community.”
Roderick Smyth, a member of the St Patrick’s Day committee, also has first-hand experience of the limitations placed on people with disabilities when it comes to attending events.
Roderick, whose wife Deborah was a wheelchair user before sadly passing away in 2013, said: “Deborah was a wheelchair user for a little while and over that time we became really aware of the issues faced by people with mobility issues or using wheelchairs.
“We are doing our best to make sure that the St Patrick’s Day parade is accessible for the whole community and if any individual or group has any other ideas or tips on how we can make this happen, we would love to hear from them.
“We’re also encouraging disability groups to get in touch about participating in the parade.”
The Echo contacted Mobiloo, which, originally starting in the UK, has just launched its Irish operation, and spoke with Michael Holden, who expressed his “delight” over being part of the Tallaght festival.
“This is one of the first festivals we will attend in Ireland, we’re also doing the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Belfast and have a number of bookings for events and festivals in the summer months,” Michael said.
“I would say that along with Belfast, Tallaght are one of the enlightened ones when it comes to access and we’re completely delighted to be there on the day.”
Rathfarnham councillor Deirdre O’ Donovan (Independent) said: “I am delighted to announce that our festival will be the first one ever in the country to be fully accessible as I have been able to secure the nation’s first ever Mobiloo for the day.
“And what’s even more special is that our Parade Marshall, Sinead Tighe of Daniel’s Voyage has been a long-time campaigner for such facilities for families like her own.”
For further details on the parade visit the St Parade’s Day Tallaght Facebook page.
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