Protest events planned for Tipperary over able-bodied people abusing disabled parking spaces

The HSE Tipperary Gold Star Initiative, in partnership with The Irish Wheelchair Association Tipperary and Tipperary County Council, is working together with volunteers and other disability organisations to organise a re-run of the successful “Back in 5” parking campaign, which ran in Tipperary Town and Cahir in 2018.

The campaign is a protest event designed to show able-bodied people the frustrations those with disabilities face every day when accessible spaces are abused.

Here's the information on the events in each of the five towns in Tipperary:

Carrick-on-Suir   Monday 22nd August

Cashel               Tuesday 23rd August

Clonmel             Wednesday 24th August

Cahir                 Thursday 25th August

Tipp Town          Friday 26th August.

Each regular car space on the street will have an empty wheelchair parked in it with a note pinned to the back with messages such as “Be back in 5 minutes”/ “just gone to the bank”/ “back in 5” or “just running in for a coffee” on each wheelchair.

These are throw away statements that people with disabilities encounter everyday when able-bodied people use the wheelchair accessible spaces.

Local gardaí will be in attendance to support the event, and the campaign should last no longer than one hour in each location.

Organisers urge everyone to come along on the morning to show their support. The event will run on Main Street Tipperary Town on Friday, August 26 from 11am to 12 noon.

Tipperary Gold Star Initiative is offering free Gold Star Disability Awareness Training (GSDAT) in partnership with IWA Tipperary Branch, The Moorehaven Centre and Knockanrawley Resource Centre, as a follow-up to the “Back in 5” campaign.

Those with disabilities will present the training and it is open to all in the community.

You can register with HSE Disability Services at [email protected]

Written by Martin Quinn