'The Government is great thinking they have given us these free travel passes, but they are a bit of a joke'

The group of five joke about as they have their photographs taken, insisting some of the staff stand in. Cups of tea are made, boxes of biscuits opened, and then they are ready to chat.

Jessica, 33, said: “When I say disabilities, I mean physical disabilities. I have cerebral palsy since birth.” 

Housing is a key issue for her as, this month, she moves from one kind of accommodation to another.

“I’m moving because the apartment I was living in for 10-and-a-half years is not conducive to my needs, and the service provided is not conducive to my needs,” she said.

“It was piloted in 2014 as a new development in services for very low-support independent living. 

To me independence shouldn’t mean loneliness — when I first went in there, they would get me up in the morning and then I’d be left there for around eight hours until dinner

That service was not designed for people with her challenges, she explained.

She is moving to Cheshire Homes in Newcastle West, describing this as a congregated setting. This will better suit her “very sociable” nature, the published poet added.

She called for the next minister for disabilities to fund “good, shared housing like they have for people with intellectual disabilities” for people like her and her friends.

When she was living without the right supports, she said: “I had to wear big people’s incontinence-wear and, to me, that is not appropriate.

“I am 100% intellectually able. I hate my disability at the best of times, because my mind doesn’t match my body. 

"I’m dealing with life on a day-to-day basis as it is, and anything extra tips me over the edge.” 

Jessica stressed too how much meeting her friends and doing activities at the Enable Ireland centre means, saying: “Without them, I wouldn’t have any bit of life.” 

Enda Gallagher, 47, has had cerebral palsy since birth — "but I don’t let it stop me".

Public transport, especially in his area of rural Clare, is the main issue he wants the next Government to fix.

“The Government is great thinking they have given us these free travel passes, but they are a bit of a joke,” he said.

I live in a rural area so, if I was to go on the train somewhere, I still have to come into Limerick — so I’d have to get a taxi

Enda uses Limerick station in preference to Ennis, as the smaller station requires a day’s notice to prepare a ramp so he can roll onto the train in his wheelchair.

“Even if I go on a night out now, I have to put plans in place,” he said.

“I have to hire a driver to drive my mum’s car and that ain’t cheap, you can’t ask someone to do it for nothing.” 

'Wheelchair accessible'

He comes to the Enable Ireland centre on its shuttle-bus. He points out how easy it is to navigate the specially-adapted building with its wide doors and corridors.

“Access into public buildings is not good,” he said.

“You go to places sometimes and they have told you ‘oh we’re fully wheelchair accessible’ , but you get there and they’re not. They said there is a ramp, but it’s just a step and there might not even be a railing to stop the chair from tilting over.” 

Both the parties coming into Government now committed to supporting the disability sector during the election. They need to stand by that now

Lack of access to home helps and personal assistants is another issue he sees in rural areas.

“We are given the hours and then they can’t fulfil those hours. They cannot get the staff,” he said.

Ricky Coonan, 32, living in Ballina, Co Tipperary, is also “so frustrated” by accessibility issues.

“It’s the footpaths, they’re not accessible at the moment. We’ve got a GAA pitch in our area and when there’s a game on, all the people come out and park up on the footpaths,” he said.

As a result, he has to steer his wheelchair “in the middle of the road” — which he finds dangerous and frightening. He recently presented a petition to the local council on this.

“There was a lot of elderly people signed too, they have the same issue I have,” he said.

I wasn’t the only one with this issue and that really surprised me — if I’m not the only one, why hasn’t this been dealt with?

To his frustration, the council directed him to An Garda Síochána. However, they in turn said it was not their responsibility. “Nobody is held accountable for what they promise,” he said.

There are other national issues too, he added. “Everything really,” he said.

“I couldn’t tell you because I’d be here for a whole year. I definitely want them [the new Government] to look into the Carers’ Allowance.” 

He queried why this allowance is means-tested, but other family supports — such as the Children’s Benefit —  are not.

“It’s just another thing that doesn’t make sense, that doesn’t add up [in disability care],” he said. “We need to get noticed now.” 

Michael O’ Dowd, from Thurles in Tipperary, said the issue of supports — particularly personal assistants — is critical for him as an political issue.

He also lives with cerebral palsy and relies on an electronic device for much of his communication.

“This country is a disaster, life is very tough for me,” he said.

He described how when he needs to go to hospital, a worker from Enable Ireland has to go with him. This is due to the lack of specialist staff in hospitals who could support him properly.

“Enable Ireland is a day service, the staff should not have to do that,” he pointed out.

“There is discrimination every day. It’s like you fight from the minute you open your eyes in the morning.” He is also a member of the Thursday morning poetry club.

“Poetry is a good hobby for me, it helps me express my feelings,” he wrote in his book.

“At times, I can’t express how I feel with my voice — but poetry allows me to do so.” 

Louise Graham turned 40 recently and wanted to highlight the challenges she faces in trying to maintain her independence.

Unlike some of her friends, she has had good experiences in hospitals — including University Hospital Limerick— saying: “I can’t fault them”.

However, going for a mammogram revealed an unexpected issue.

I went to get a breast check, but I never got it. The machines are too high and you have to stand

“I have to sit down so I can’t [do it].”

She has had x-rays where she was helped out of the chair, but said specialist staff are needed for this.

A more urgent issue for her is the supports provided by personal assistants. She lives on her own and relies on them for her outings to rugby matches or meeting friends.

“They might cancel, and it could be at the last-minute even if I have a plan,” she said.

“They do send someone else, but it might be someone who doesn’t drive. If it’s someone who drives, fine. But if it’s someone who doesn’t drive, they can’t bring me.

“I only have three out of five people [PAs] who drive anyway."

She would like to see supports for the personal assistants to learn to drive or be better paid so they can afford to run a car.

She adds, only half-joking, that “a private driver would solve a lot of things” for her.

“I’m a sociable person, but I feel I’m caught because of this [system],” she said.

Louise also sees differences between the sports stadiums she attends in terms of how easily she can move around and watch games.

While, she said, “you can’t fault Thomond Park”, she would like other sports to invest more in viewing platforms and other supports.

Katie Shinners, a senior clinical nurse manager at the Enable Ireland Adult Services in Limerick, said the centre is a social focus for people.

“They depend on the centre for friendships, any social engagement, for all their meaningful activities,” she said.

“Everyone is assigned a key worker so they’d support the person, get them out of their comfort zone.” 

Photographs on the walls show beach trips with adapted wheelchairs and other outings people might take for granted in a different setting. They are a sign really of what can be done.