Labour Disability welcomes restoration of ramp at Mansion House entrance.
Labour Disability welcomes the announcement by Lord Mayor Brendan Carr today that the ramp at the entrance to the Mansion House will be restored. This ramp was removed around 2012 and replaced with steps and a platform lift. Visitors to the Oak Room, Round Room or Fire Restaurant are forced to use either the steps or the platform lift.
Prior to 2012 with the original ramp, groups could enter the venue together along with their peers. Now with the platform lift, people with disabilities are segregated from others, and have to wait for the slow lift to lower and rise up. The ‘hold to run’ buttons on the lift that must be held pressed to move the lift are unusable for some wheelchair users who don’t have the power or dexterity to keep the button pressed for an extended period. They are also difficult for people who have limited power on one side of the body who need to use one hand to hold steady.
The steps also cause problems for many older people, parents with buggies, people with sight loss and people who use crutches or sticks for support. It is unclear how wheelchair users could get away from the building quickly in case of fire.
Mick Keegan, Chairperson of Labour Disability group and wheelchair user said: “We’re delighted to hear that Dublin City Council plan to replace the ramped entrance to the Mansion House. When the old ramp was there, I could enter the building at the same time as everyone else. Now I am separated from my friends because I have to wait for the lift. I don’t have full power in my fingers, so I’m not able to keep the lift button pressed myself. This means that I’ve lost my independence, and a little bit of my dignity too. I look forward to being able to go into the Oak Room or Round Room with my peers.”.