Activists highlight poor parking and obstacles for those with limited mobility in Kilkenny

Rehabilitation Training Unit students from the Irish Wheelchair Association in Kilkenny were out on patrol yesterday (Thursday) sending out a very important message ahead of today's #MakeWayDay.

The group went on a walk where, in one instance, they discovered a car mounted on a footpath blocking the wheelchair exit of the path, with entire ramp covered.

A sticker highlighting #MakeWayDay was placed on the vehicle to alert the driver to the implications of its parking.

People with disabilities will also be out today (#MakeWayDay) along with disability groups and local organisations to highlight obstacles that block the way and complicate the lives of people with disabilities such as:

1) Cars or vans parked on a footpath blocking the way

2) Bicycles/motorbikes chained to lamp posts creating a trip hazard for a visually impaired person

3) Illegally placed sandwich boards, forgotten bins, barrels and other obstructions

Commenting on Make Way Day, Disability Federation of Ireland's CEO John Dolan, said, "Access is the most basic of all disability rights. The public footpaths are for everyone and we can all agree on that. In a wider context, Make Way Day refocuses the mind on people with disabilities, their lives, and needs, especially in the public spaces that we all share."