Galway beach access pilot scheme at Ballyloughane and Silverstrand offers hope
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A pilot scheme to improve access to Galway beaches for wheelchair users and people with disabilities will be trialled at Ballyloughane and Silverstrand.
Beach mobility mats will be trialled in the coming weeks offering new hope to families currently facing significant barriers to accessing the seaside.
Among those affected is six-year-old wheelchair user Ruby Daly. Her father, James, said simple trips to the beach have become increasingly difficult.
"It has become almost impossible to bring Ruby to the beach,” he said. “Being able to visit the sea together as a family would mean the world to us.”
The pilot follows a joint assessment by Galway City Council, the Irish Wheelchair Association and the Galway Beach Access Group, which recently visited four city beaches to examine how access could be improved.
Following the assessment, Ballyloughane and Silverstrand were selected as the locations for an initial trial of beach mobility mats.
Being able to visit the sea together as a family would mean the world to us
The mats are designed to make it easier for wheelchair users and people with mobility difficulties to access the sand.
“Representatives from the partnership visited Salthill, Silverstrand, Grattan Beach and Ballyloughane,” said a spokesperson for the Galway Beach Access Group.
“Following an assessment of all four locations, the partnership agreed to focus on a pilot scheme that would provide improved access on both the east and west sides of the city, with Ballyloughane and Silverstrand identified as the initial trial sites.
“The goal for all involved is to give access to Galway’s beaches for everybody, using beach mats which have been proven successful in other counties in Ireland. At present, wheelchair users and people with disabilities face significant barriers when trying to visit and enjoy Galway’s beaches.”
Concerns raised:
The development comes shortly after concerns were raised at a recent meeting of Galway City Council over delays in providing wheelchair-accessible beach mats in the city.
Councillors expressed frustration that mats trialled at Ladies Beach in Salthill in 2021 have yet to be introduced on either a permanent or seasonal basis.
During the meeting, council officials said identifying a suitable location was challenging due to tidal conditions.
Former Mayor Mike Cubbard (Ind) described the lack of progress as "an embarrassment," while councillors called on officials to find a practical solution before the end of the summer.
A real difference:
National Access Programme Manager with the Irish Wheelchair Association, Rosaleen Lally, said people with disabilities are entitled to enjoy public amenities in the same way as everyone else.
"People with disabilities deserve, and are entitled to enjoy, Ireland's public amenities such as our beaches,” she said.
“Galway has some of the most beautiful beaches in Ireland and this pilot in Ballyloughane and Silverstrand could make a real difference for wheelchair users and their families”.
The Galway Beach Access Group welcomed the progress and said there is a strong willingness among all parties to find practical solutions.
"We know there are challenges, but there is a real willingness to find practical solutions to open up our beaches," said group representative Shane Lennon.
Beach mobility mats have been used successfully elsewhere in Ireland and campaigners hope the Galway pilot will provide a practical solution for families.
Galway City Council and local volunteers are expected to begin trialling the mats at Ballyloughane and Silverstrand in the coming weeks, with proposed start dates to be confirmed.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme