'All children deserve a place at the table': Families welcome plan to make Dublin autism-friendly 

Irish soccer star James McClean, who was recently diagnosed with autism, and whose daughter Willow-Ivy is autistic, has become a powerful advocate for the autism community and is helping to build that awareness.

He was a guest of honour at an autism awareness event in Dublin on Wednesday hosted by the AsIAm autism charity.

Adam Harris, the founder and CEO of AsIAm, said: “Most people associate autism with children, but James McClean is an adult who is autistic, and he was recently diagnosed and has been very generous when it comes to sharing his story.

“The fact that he is a professional footballer, sharing his experience is incredible. He has done so much for so many people. This is not about statistics, it’s about people’s stories”.

The three-year plan for Dublin aims to address physical infrastructure in the city but also takes into account education, healthcare, recreation, and community support. It will be guided by input from autistic people and their families.

To date, 60 champion organisations in the business, public, and voluntary sectors, have agreed to undertake training and commit to making small changes, such as implementing quiet times. It will see more festivals, events, and public awareness of people with additional needs.

Dublin will hold its first Sensoria Festival on Sunday April 28 in Merrion Square.

The city’s Lord Mayor, Daithí de Róiste, first raised the idea of a more inclusive capital when he was elected to office last year.

“I don’t want Dublin to be seen as a city, it is a community, and we are leaving people behind by not being inclusive.”

“It was done in Clonakilty in 2018, they have led the way so, since Christmas, a series of engagements across the community have taken place at the mansion house, to hear feedback from people with lived experiences.”

The Lord Mayor said one of the recent successful initiatives this year, was to make a part of the St Patrick’s Day festival silent.

“We decided not to make it silent at the end of the parade, but to do it right in the middle of it.

“Just as the parade was coming to College Green, we reduced the sound slowly until it was quiet. It was a success and we plan to do more of this.

“The most important thing is, we get people involved and educate others.”

The families of people with additional needs have welcomed the three-year plan, including Emma O’Shea. Her daughter, Cara, who is now eight, was born with autism and global developmental delay.

“Cara is the middle child, and I have only started bringing her out in the past year,” Emma said.

“Her behaviour as she got older has calmed down. People would say ‘she doesn’t look autistic’ and wrong things can be said, but I do understand that people are still learning.

“Cara can get overwhelmed if she is hearing music people say to me, ‘control your child’.

“The idea that these efforts are being made to make Dublin more inclusive, has made me emotional because every innocent person should have a place in the world.

“All children deserve a place at the table. Cara has missed a lot of things, she is a flight risk, she runs off, some places might have loads of doors and escape routes, but other places don’t, so there is no consistency.

Ms O’Shea said: “The public in general need to be made more aware of autism — we need to have a more inclusive world.”

Two of Bernard and Amy McGivney’s children have autism.

Mya is 8 years old and also has a genetic condition called Neurofibromatosis and Ben, aged 9, has autism and ADHD. The couple’s youngest is Kai, aged 4.

“Their mum Amy is a psychiatric nurse, and I stay with the children at home” Mr McGivney said.

“We are aware of the plans to make Dublin more inclusive, and we feel it is long overdue and absolutely amazing, especially for Mya.

“Ben is the oldest — he is very sensitive to noise, and he can get emotional when distressed. Anything that helps those things, would take the stress off any parent and to help them have an enjoyable time.

“It is hard to do. We have to plan ahead, we have ear defenders packed, lunches packed — if you miss anything you can throw the whole day out.

“A sudden sound can really throw a child. We use ear defenders at football matches at the Aviva. They are brilliant, and Ben knows what works for him too, so we are guided by the children.

“Our youngest Kai, he is waiting to be assessed. For people who are learning about a diagnosis changing the way we approach the city and getting around for children with special needs, is so important.

“Public transport is something we rarely use. We just recently came from Disneyland Paris, there were little or no waiting times for children with special needs — people need to learn that its very hard for children to be quiet while waiting anyway.

Rachel Kane’s 10-year-old daughter Marley is autistic, and also has an avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder.

“In June 2022 we set up North Inner City Side by Side in East Wall, with Michelle Curtis, whose son Dre, 7, is autistic and our aim is to provide people with information, and we pass on life experience.

“Up until then there was nothing for children in the area that had any kind of additional needs and we found it difficult. There were no community activities and there was a lack of understanding.

“There is a struggle in crowds especially, like shopping centres, so we have been linking in a few councillors in the area to try and open up a sensory space, we have been looking for this since 2023, but we never pinpointed an area until now.

“There is a large space in East Wall, and we have been discussing it as a group and it would be a safe space for children”.

Her colleague Michelle Curtis said: “All around us are new buildings and high rises, so we are losing our green spaces, we have nowhere to go. I’m living on the seventh floor of an apartment block, so I need a green space for my children.

“A sensory garden here would be a major addition to the community.

“We are battling with dog dirt, crammed parks, and lack of quiet time. A sensory garden with an allotment where we could grow fruit and veg would be very grounding for them.

“We were on a course recently with the Children’s Disability Network team and we explained that children with autism tend to strip off and go barefoot and in underwear.

“It takes a village to raise a child, but it takes a child with autism to raise the consciousness of the village.”

James Rickard, 69, is a psychologist specialising in social inclusion and diversity.

He was born with cerebral palsy and lives independently in Dublin. While he is now retired, he has spent most of his adult life living, studying, and working in Dublin city.

He said that making Dublin an inclusive city “starts with the word normalisation”.

“Whatever we do, it cannot be exceptional, it has to be part of being normal” he said. “You have to look at basic things, like ramps and footpaths, and having everything a wheelchair user, or person with restricted mobility, won’t have a problem with.

“You shouldn’t have to look up places that are wheelchair accessible, just normalise it, just expect it, don’t make it exceptional.

“It’s not enough to say, ‘we’ll put that ramp at the main entrance’ or ‘on the footpath’. They should do it anyway.”

“Everything should be included in the planning of buildings and roadways; everything should be flattened. I know that is not easy, but we have to be creative in our thinking and thinking total flatness in terms of footpaths and roads.

“I spent my life in Dublin city, and there have not been any major issues for me, I’ve been going into town all my life.

“Keep everything in mind — mobility and inclusivity is the key when it comes to every part of planning going forward.”