Disability and Access Strategy “one of the most important documents published by council in last five years”
A DISABILITY Inclusion and Access Strategy 2024-2027 published by Sligo County Council has been described as one of the most important documents published by the Council over its fiveyear term.
Cllr Declan Bree said the draft Sligo County Council Disability Inclusion and Access Strategy 2024-2027 is a significant document which sets out a programme of actions to address access deficits facing those with disabilities in our society and builds upon the solid foundation put in place by our previous Disability Inclusion and Access Strategy.
“Disabled people have the right to enjoy the same services and opportunities as their non-disabled fellow-citizens, to have access to the same public services, like transport, housing, and to take advantage of the same education and employment opportunities as everyone else.
Thanks to the work of the Disability Consultative Committee and contributions received from the public consultation process, this Council was one of the first local authorities in Ireland to formally vote to adopt the Social Model back in 2018.
“The draft Inclusion and Access Strategy has been developed under the auspices of the Council's Disability Consultative Committee with input from the Sligo Disabled Persons Organisation and Independent Living Movement.
“I am privileged to be Chair of the Disability Consultative Committee, and I wish to acknowledge the role of the other councillors who serve on the Committee, Cllr Baker, Cllr Walsh, Cllr O'Boyle, Cllr O'Grady, Cllr Fox and Cllr Clarke in addition to members of the Council staff, representatives from disability advocacy groups including the Disability Federation of Ireland, Physical and Sensory Disabilities Service of the HSE, the ATU Disability and Inclusion group, the Independent Living Movement, the Wheelchair Association and the Sligo Public Participation Network.
“I also wish to thank the Chair, Cllr Gibbons and the members of the Strategic Policy Committee on Housing for their valued input into the draft document.”
He said the strategy continues to acknowledge the shift in the understanding of disability and recognition of rights of disabled people. It also recognises that international understandings have moved away from a strictly medical definition, where
“disability” is seen to be “caused” by functional deficits, such as physical injury or intellectual disability, to a “social model” that recognises the disabling barriers built into the environment and social structures as disabled people go about their lives.
“The social model recognises that disability affects every aspect of our lives, not just our health.
Disabled people have the right to enjoy the same services and opportunities as their non-disabled fellow-citizens, to have access to the same public services, like transport, housing, and to take advantage of the same education and employment opportunities as everyone else.
He said he particularly wished to thank Council officials Margaret McConnell, Aisling Smyth and Kate Gibbons who certainly went beyond the call of duty to ensure that this draft strategy was developed and produced within the timeline agreed by the Consultative Committee. Earlier he thanked others who were involved in the process, among them fellow councillors.
He added: “The strategy document we have before us today is one of the most important documents published by the Council over its five-year term.
“We are all aware that people with disabilities in our community encounter various challenges in their everyday lives.
“It is our duty as a Local Authority, in conjunction with other stakeholders, to help people overcome these barriers and deliver a society where people with disabilities enjoy the same services and opportunities as other citizens,” he said.