Paralympics Ireland Call for Solution to Inaccessibility Issue at Exhibition on Life of Paralympian Kay McShane.
Paralympics Ireland today urge Spike Island Development Company to work with all stakeholders to find a solution to the accessibility issues that will prevent wheelchair users from visiting an exhibition on the life of Paralympic medallist Kay McShane, who was herself a wheelchair user.
Kay was a vocal advocate of disability sports and the rights of people with disabilities and Paralympics Ireland have been in contact with Independent Living Movement Ireland to offer our support to their efforts to find a solution to the issue.
Paralympics Ireland CEO, Stephen McNamara said:
“It is fitting and should be celebrated that Spike Island Development Company have been working to showcase Kay’s achievements. However, it is disappointing and upsetting that the exhibition celebrating the life of a triple Paralympic medal winner and vocal advocate for those with a disability, is not accessible to the very people she worked so hard to proudly represent – wheelchair users.
We understand that this has been a stressful experience for Kay’s family who we believe have engaged with Spike Island Development Company since the project was proposed.
Paralympics Ireland believe that all infrastructural development in Ireland should be fully inclusive and that all such projects should be accessible to all members of the community. We call on all stakeholders to re-examine the issue and find a solution so that the focus of this exhibition can return to the achievements of Kay McShane.”
