Challenges facing disabled in streets of Tullamore and Clara highlighted

PROBLEMS faced by disabled people on the streets of Clara and Tullamore have been highlighted.

Recently councillor Aoife Masterson visited the Darmagh Centre in Tullamore, where she met with the Tullamore /Clara Advocacy Group, which consists of individuals attending the Muiríosa Foundation’s Offaly Day Services.

Cllr Masterson engaged warmly with each member of the group, taking time to hear their lived experiences of navigating the towns of Tullamore and Clara.

The discussion highlighted several recurring concerns, some of which were, broken footpaths, flooding, paths too narrow to accommodate wheelchairs, and in some areas, the complete absence of footpaths, dog fowling, bins and trolleys on footpaths and parking on footpaths.

The advocacy group spoke openly about how these challenges limit their independence and make everyday activities, such as going to the shop, visiting friends, or attending appointments much more difficult than they should be.

Cllr. Masterson listened intently and assured the group that their voices would be heard. She praised the use of pictures, saying they effectively illustrated the issues.

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She committed to raising these concerns with the relevant departments at the local council and advocating for immediate assessments of the identified areas.

Cllr Masterson has also made plans to conduct a walkabout in Clara and Tullamore alongside the advocacy group to see the identified problem areas first-hand.

She reaffirmed her commitment to bringing these concerns to the local council and hopes that this collaborative approach will result in significant improvements for everyone who lives, works, or accesses services in the area.

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