This year’s ‘Make Way Day’ (taking place on Friday, September 30th) is set to be launched in Roscommon at 3.30 pm on Thursday, September 8th. The initiative, led by the Disability Federation of Ireland, brings the disability and wider community together to consider the needs of people with disabilities in public spaces shared by everyone.
The day is a unique collaboration across Ireland between the voluntary and local government sectors. Once again this year, Roscommon County Council is proud to support and be associated with this initiative.
The aim of ‘Make Way Day’ is to educate and raise awareness of the needs of people with disabilities using public spaces shared by everyone, showcasing a coordinated and decisive day of action to improve the access of our towns and cities for everyone. The objective is to make the public aware of issues that are fully within their power to change, culminating in one impactful, coordinated and decisive day of action, scheduled this year for September 30th.
‘Make Way Day’ is supported and organised by people with disabilities, local authorities and disability organisations, highlighting obstacles that block the way and complicate the lives of people with disabilities, 365 days of the year. Such everyday obstacles include cars parked on footpaths, bicycles illegally parked as well as bikes tied to lampposts and railings, kegs left on footpaths, bins left on footpaths, sandwich boards and signs left on footpaths and overgrown hedges.
Roscommon County Council supports the fundamental right of access as being the most basic of all disability rights. Public footpaths are for everyone and initiatives such as ‘Make Way Day’ focuses the mind on people with disabilities, their lives and their needs.
