Dundalk's Cllr Yore says accessibility needs to be condition for NTA funding

Cllr Maeve Yore has slammed an absence of terms and conditions that would stipulate that people with disabilities must be catered for when funding announcements are made in relation to public transport.

Cllr Yore was speaking at the Louth County Council January meeting, in relation to the recent announcement by the National Transport Authority (NTA) of a new subsidised local hackney service to be provided in Lordship in Co. Louth and 20 other rural locations where no current full-time service exists.

The Dundalk councillor told the meeting that it was her understanding that the terms and conditions of the new service, doesn't include that a hackney has to be accessible for people with disabilities. She said that they as a Council have to send a clear message to the NTA and any other groups responsible for funding that "people with disabilities are fed up of being treated as second class citizens."

Cllr Yore went on to say that people with disabilities "need to be included in all funding streams available" and that "hackney[s] and any other forms of transport have to be accessible", adding "can we as a council send a clear letter/note to the NTA, that that should be part of the terms and conditions of any funding that's coming on stream?"

The Independent councillor further added "there's three wheelchair accessible taxis in Louth at the moment, I stand to be corrected on that, but its not acceptable and we have to include everybody."

Director of Services, Catherine Duff, told the meeting in response that the Council would raise it with the NTA, adding that she understood Cllr Yore's frustrations on the matter.