People Before Profit welcomes Iarnród Éireann lift investment following a long and sustained campaign by campaigners.
This victory follows a 4 year campaign for accessibility in dart stations when @Bernard pbp7 and Sean O’ Kelly decided they were sick of lifts being constantly out of order, and of the disgraceful accessibility issues in most dart stations – which in 2020, is an absolute scandal.
@bernardpbp7 representative for People Before Profit says : “This shows grassroots campaigns can win local services for people that can make all the difference to their lives. We now need to ensure that Irish Rail employs security staff on the platform, on full permanent contracts, to ensure that the lifts are protected around the clock so that people living with disabilities are reassured that they can use the service.”
Dun Laoghaire TD @richardboydbarrett says that he is pleased that a number of DART stations in his constituency have received the green light for investment but also stressed there is more to be done in order to ensure equality of access for people living with disabilities.
The TD has repeatedly asked questions and raised the issue in the Dáil on behalf of the @access_for_all_ireland Access for All campaign.
He said: “This announcement of investment of €3.3 million is long overdue in order to fix many of the lifts along the DART line which have been notoriously unreliable, and in many ways, an infringement to the rights of people living with disabilities, who have not been provided with the equality of access that able bodied people take for granted.
Access for All and People Before Profit will continue to monitor progress on these commitments