The misuse of accessible parking spaces is an ongoing issue that affects the daily lives of people with disabilities across Ireland. John McFarlane, a wheelchair user from Co Offaly, recently spoke out about how this behavior prevents disabled individuals from participating fully in everyday activities like shopping, going to the bank, or visiting public spaces.
Accessible parking bays are designed with extra space to allow safe access in and out of vehicles. When they are blocked by unauthorized vehicles—even briefly—it can make everyday tasks nearly impossible for someone with mobility challenges.
The Disabled Drivers Association of Ireland (DDAI) has launched a new awareness campaign to tackle this problem. Their message is clear:
“It’s never OK to park in an accessible space without a valid permit—not even for 30 seconds.”
The campaign also supports the expansion of reporting systems, such as text alerts, which allow members of the public to report misuse discreetly. Councils across Ireland are at various stages of adopting these systems, and some, like Clare County Council, are even installing sensors that feed real-time parking data into apps like the DDAI Spacefinder App.
Increased enforcement is also being carried out through Operation Enable, a joint initiative involving An Garda Síochána and disability advocacy groups, which aims to crack down on the fraudulent use of disabled parking permits.
For more details, visit the full article on RTÉ News: Misuse of accessible parking ‘obstructing daily lives’