Advocates push for a more inclusive city amid ongoing challenges
Accessibility remains a major issue for visually impaired individuals across Ireland, with Limerick being no exception. Despite progress in disability rights, navigating urban spaces remains a daily struggle due to inadequate infrastructure and a lack of inclusive planning.
Barriers to visual accessibility in Ireland
For visually impaired individuals, daily tasks like crossing the street or using public transport can be fraught with difficulty. Many Irish cities, including Limerick, lack sufficient tactile paving, audio signals at pedestrian crossings, and braille or audio announcements on public transport. According to the number of the Central Statistics Office from 2022, approximately 300,000 people in Ireland, around six percent of the population, are blind or visually impaired, yet many urban areas fail to accommodate their needs.
One major concern is the trend of shared spaces, which remove distinctions between pedestrian walkways and roads. This design, while aesthetically modern, creates hazardous conditions for visually impaired individuals who rely on tactile cues for navigation. Campaigners like Sinnott from Voice of Vision Impairment argue that such designs prioritise convenience over accessibility. “When you take away kerbs and tactile paving, you take away the independence of blind pedestrians. It’s dangerous, and it’s unacceptable,” Sinnott states.
Voice of Vision Impairment´s goal to have a voice
“We’re not asking for the impossible,” Sinnott says. “We’re asking for basic, life-saving infrastructure. A blind person should be able to cross a street safely without relying on guesswork or the kindness of strangers.”
He explains, that organisations, such as the Voice of Vision want a place on the table, like other disabled rights organisations in Europe that enjoy legal rights to support the needs of impaired people. Sinnott points out that in other countries, such as Germany, the legal framework for such organisations is way better. However, there has been an effort inside the organisations to receive governmental recognition.
Additional fact: Voting accessibility for the blind in Ireland
In a landmark victory for disability rights, Robbie Sinnott’s 2017 High Court case compelled the Irish government to introduce tactile ballot templates, enabling visually impaired voters to cast their ballots independently for the first time in the 2018 referendum. Source: The Irish Times
Sinnott has also been vocal about the inadequacies of the public transport system. In some cases, buses lack audible stop announcements, making it nearly impossible for visually impaired passengers to navigate routes independently. “If a bus doesn’t tell you where you are, how are you supposed to know when to get off? It’s basic accessibility,” he notes.
Wider accessibility issues in Limerick
While accessibility for the visually impaired remains a significant concern, advocates for residents with mobility difficulties point to both progress and persistent challenges.
Rose Servitova, a Supported Employment Officer from Avista, highlights recent improvements such as new crosswalks and flattened footpaths at crossings, which have made navigating the city easier for wheelchair users and those with mobility impairments.
Public transport, however, remains a mixed experience. Lorraine Kelly, who has a physical disability, finds the Travel Assistance Scheme by Bus Éireann helpful. The initiative provides trained assistants to help passengers with disabilities plan and navigate their journeys, ensuring they can travel independently and with confidence. “Just take your time,” Kelly recalls being reassured by an assistant while crossing a busy intersection, but she also points out that impatient commuters often make public transport more stressful than it should be.
TFI Travel Assistance Scheme
The TFI Travel Assistance Scheme, funded by the National Transport Authority, was first introduced on public transport services in Cork in 2022. The scheme, which now also operates in Limerick and Waterford, provides personalized support to passengers who need it. Bus Éireann Travel Assistants help passengers navigate their journeys, aiming to make public transport accessible to everyone. The service is entirely free of charge. Source: Bus Eireann
Even with improvements, obstacles persist. Rita Hughes, who also has a disability, mentions that narrow, slanted, and uneven footpaths with high steps remain a serious issue. Parkway Roundabout, she notes, is particularly difficult to navigate. “I put my hand up to signal cars to stop, but they don’t always notice,” she says. Short-timed traffic lights also create difficulties, leaving little time for those with mobility challenges to cross safely. “There were multiple times when the light just wasn’t long enough,” Hughes adds.
Limerick City’s response to accessibility concerns
Following a request from Limerick Voice, Limerick City and County Council outlined their ongoing efforts to improve accessibility. The Active Travel department is responsible for upgrading walking, wheeling, and cycling infrastructure through annual funding from the National Transport Authority (NTA). Footpath upgrades and pedestrian facilities are developed in line with national standards, ensuring compliance with accessibility guidelines.
In October 2024, Active Travel project managers became one of the first teams in the country to receive dedicated equality training from the Disability Federation of Ireland (DFI). The department is also drafting a new Accessibility Strategy aimed at ensuring a more universally accessible environment across the city and county.
The path forward
While activism like Sinnott’s has led to incremental improvements, campaigners argue that Ireland still has a long way to go. Advocacy groups continue to call for stricter enforcement of accessibility standards, increased funding for inclusive infrastructure, and greater consultation with disabled communities in urban planning decisions.
Accessibility is not a privilege—it is a right. As Limerick and other Irish cities grow, ensuring inclusivity for all should be at the heart of their development strategies.