Tag Archives: Clare Leader Forum

AN ENNISTYMON wheelchair user, with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), has been forced to pay almost 60% of her weekly disability allowance on private care so she can go to bed at night. Trish McNamara (52) requires assistance to get into bed, but was recently informed by the HSE that it doesn’t have anyone available to put her to bed for six out of seven nights in the near future. This leaves the disability activist with two choices: sleep in her wheelchair, running the risk of sores on her skin, leading to ill health and hospitalisation or pay €102 out of her weekly €175 disability allowance for a private person to assist her, which she is currently forced to do. While the HSE pledged to advertise to fill the required hours, the authority noted there is a huge lack of personal assistants and carers in the North Clare area. “I have been asked do I have to continue working at the Cliffs …

DISABLED parking spaces are regularly being “abused” according to Ennis community activist and member of the Clare Leader Forum Dermot Hayes. He was speaking as concerns were raised about a “shortage in availability” of disabled parking in Ennis at a recent meeting of councillors by Councillor Paul Murphy. There are a total of 78 disabled car parking spaces in the Ennis Municipal District urban area including four spaces due to be constructed later this year at Lower Market Street and the Friary Car Park the local authority has confirmed. Mr Hayes believes that greater enforcement is needed against those who misuse disabled parking, while also calling for more parking to be put in place suitable for the needs of people with disabilities. “People are abusing car parking for people with disabilities, it’s a regular occurrence all over the county and all over Ireland. “We fought hard and campaigned a long time for disability parking and the excuses of ‘I’m just …

IRELAND’S first festival for disability, Pride and Power 2022, might be over, but there is still time to join the after-party in Ennis. This Friday July 29 at 11am in Cloughleigh Community Centre members of Clare Leader Forum, together with Clare members of Disability Power Ireland’s (DPI) committee, have organised an after-party event for the festival which hosted events nationwide. The Ennis after-party titled ‘What Clare has to Offer’ will feature a showing of the new film ‘Nothing About Us Without Us’ developed by Clare Leader Forum and facilitated by Grey Heron Media. There will also be music by the Ukrainian Choir and Paddy Mulcahy, followed by a samba disco. Dermot Hayes of Clare Leader Forum explains, “The Disability Pride and Power Festival 2022 ran throughout the month of July and was the first official celebration in Ireland of Disability Pride Month, an international phenomenon which began in the US in the 1990s. “It was also Ireland’s first cross-impairment festival …

THE “catastrophic and emotional impacts” on young disabled people who have been forced to live in nursing homes has been highlighted by Clare campaigners ahead of plans for an online event this December. Clare Leader Forum are hosting ‘Empower’, a concert with a host of special guests, aimed at raising awareness of the need for a “better future for younger people deprived of their liberty in nursing homes.” The free event, which goes live on December 3 at 7pm, will also celebrate International Day of Disabled People. Those taking part will include Anne Rynne, Shannon Sisters, Fionnathan, Ann Marie Flanagan, Paddy Mulcahy, Marie Griffin, the Donnellan Dancers and many more. Ms Flanagan of the Clare Leader Forum explains, “We will be showcasing a number of very talented artists, some disabled themselves and also some local allies. This concert will be a real show of solidarity with young people forced to stay in nursing homes. “Through no fault of their own …