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First Wheelchair user TD

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  • 26-05-2007 9:22am
    #1
    Wishbone Ash
    Registered Users Posts: 24,995 ✭✭✭✭


    Sean Connick of Fianna Fail has become Ireland's first TD who is a wheelchair user.

    Mr Connick was elected along with Labour's Brendan Howlin on the fifth count in Wexford.

    Mr Connick is 43 years of age and married.

    He has been using a wheelchair since the age of 12 following an accident.


Comments

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    #2
    slumped
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,946 ✭✭✭slumped


    I am not being disrespectful to the man - but is this remarkable in some way?


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    #3
    Wishbone Ash
    Registered Users Posts: 24,995 ✭✭✭✭Wishbone Ash


    The chamber in Leinster House is not particularly wheelchair friendly especially when they have to walk through the division gates at the top for a count.


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    #4
    slumped
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,946 ✭✭✭slumped


    Wishbone Ash wrote:
    The chamber in Leinster House is not particularly wheelchair friendly especially when they have to walk through the division gates at the top for a count.

    Ah I see.

    I thought all public buildings had to be wheelchair accessible? or is that just new ones?

    S


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    #5
    dan719
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,597 ✭✭✭dan719


    Sean is from my hometown of New Ross. Although I am not a Fianna Fail supporter I am delighted he got in! He works very hard for the town, and due to his involvement with the dunbrody festival and so on, garnered a huge majority of the youth vote. Hopefully he can deliver for ross. But well done again.


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    #6
    RainyDay
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,925 ✭✭✭RainyDay


    slumped wrote:
    I thought all public buildings had to be wheelchair accessible? or is that just new ones?
    All new buildings (public & private) must meet the Part M regulations for accessibility for people with disabilities (which of course deals with more than just wheelchair users).

    All public buildings must meet the Part M regulations by 2015, under Section 25 of the Disability Act 2005.


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    #7
    Suzybie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 66 ✭✭Suzybie


    And part M is a really poor piece of legislation which architects abuse continually and pretend that they are implementing when they know nothing about disability. Deputy Connick should not have to become a disability champion in the Dail (I have a feeling it's not his thing anyway) but 8 years is a long time to wait for poorly written, low standards, and poorly monitored legislation.


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    #8
    RainyDay
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,925 ✭✭✭RainyDay


    Just FYI - Part M is currently being reviewed, so expect to see a draft of the new version out for public consultation sometime this year. Do take the opportunity to make your opinions heard.

    There is still of course the enforcement issue. See this NDA report for the bad news.


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    #9
    Wishbone Ash
    Registered Users Posts: 24,995 ✭✭✭✭Wishbone Ash


    Were any special arrangements made for Mr Connick yesterday regarding going through the division gates? I didn't notice any on the television coverage.


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    #10
    Gone West
    Registered Users Posts: 6,374 ✭✭✭Gone West


    Leinster House is not a public building.


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