For people with disabilities, having a voice, being listened to and having the opportunity to influence decisions that affect their lives are essential parts of inclusion and independent living.
In the latest episode of Disability Matters, John Comiskey speaks with Margaret Griffin, Advocacy and Communications Officer with North Tipperary Disability Support Service (NTDSS), about disability rights, advocacy, accessibility and the importance of creating spaces where people with disabilities are heard, valued and empowered.
Margaret, who is based in Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, brings both professional experience and lived experience to her work. A 35-year-old woman with Cerebral Palsy, Margaret is passionate about creating greater understanding of disability and ensuring that people with disabilities have opportunities to participate fully in society.
Outside of her advocacy work, Margaret lives in Nenagh with her husband and their young daughter. Her family life is an important part of her story and reflects one of the central messages of the conversation: people with disabilities want the same opportunities as everyone else — to build careers, have relationships, raise families, participate in their communities and live life on their own terms.
Turning lived experience into advocacy
Margaret’s work with NTDSS is closely connected to her passion for disability rights.
Living with Cerebral Palsy has given her first-hand experience of some of the barriers people with disabilities can encounter in everyday life. But rather than allowing those barriers to define her, Margaret has used her experiences to help advocate for change.
Her work focuses on accessibility, inclusion and empowerment, while also helping to ensure that the voices of people with disabilities are represented and taken seriously.
The conversation with John explores why this representation matters.
People with disabilities understand many of the barriers they face better than anyone else. Their experiences can provide valuable insight when organisations, communities and decision-makers are developing services, policies and environments.
For Margaret, advocacy is therefore not simply about identifying problems. It is also about helping create solutions and making sure people with disabilities are part of the conversation.
The importance of being heard
A major theme throughout the interview is the importance of having a voice.
For some people with disabilities, speaking up about their needs can be difficult. They may have experienced situations where they were not listened to, were spoken about rather than spoken to, or felt that decisions were being made on their behalf.
Advocacy can help change that.
It can give people the confidence and support to express their wishes, understand their rights and participate in decisions affecting their lives.
But meaningful inclusion goes further than simply asking for someone’s opinion.
People with disabilities need to be involved from the beginning.
Their experiences should help shape the services, supports and communities designed for them.
Accessibility means more than ramps
Margaret’s work also highlights the broader meaning of accessibility.
When people hear the word “accessibility”, they may immediately think about physical access — ramps, lifts, accessible toilets or parking spaces.
These things are extremely important, but accessibility is much broader.
It can include access to information, communication, employment, education, public spaces, transport and social activities.
True inclusion means removing the barriers that prevent people from participating equally.
Creating spaces where people can thrive
Margaret is passionate about creating spaces where people with disabilities are not only included but heard, valued and empowered.
That distinction is important.
Being physically present in a workplace, community group or public space does not automatically mean that someone is included.
Inclusion means being able to participate, contribute, make choices and have your contribution recognised.
Margaret’s own life is an example of this. She has built a career in advocacy and communications, while also enjoying family life with her husband and their two-year-old daughter.
Her story challenges outdated assumptions about what people with disabilities can achieve.
From lived experience to positive change
The interview also highlights the value of lived experience in disability advocacy.
Margaret is able to bring her own experiences as a woman with Cerebral Palsy into her professional role, helping others understand the realities of disability and the importance of removing barriers.
Her message is ultimately one of empowerment.
People with disabilities should not have to constantly fight simply to be included. Society should be designed in a way that allows everyone to participate.
And when barriers remain, people with disabilities should have the opportunity and support to challenge them.
John and Margaret also discuss:
- The importance of disability advocacy
- Margaret’s experience of living with Cerebral Palsy
- Accessibility and inclusion
- Why lived experience matters
- The importance of listening to people with disabilities
- Creating spaces where people feel valued and empowered
- The role of communication in advocacy
- Disability rights and independent living
- The need to involve people with disabilities in decisions that affect them
- The importance of challenging assumptions about disability
Nothing About Us Without Us
At the heart of disability advocacy is the principle that people with disabilities should have a meaningful say in decisions affecting their lives.
Margaret’s story demonstrates the power of combining lived experience, professional advocacy and a determination to create positive change.
Her message is particularly powerful because she is not only advocating for greater inclusion — she is helping build it through her own work and experience.
As disability advocacy continues to shape conversations about accessibility and equality in Ireland, voices like Margaret’s are essential.
Because inclusion begins when people are not simply invited into the conversation, but are given the opportunity to help lead it.
More information on https://ntdss.ie/
This interview aired on Disability Matters on 92.5 Phoenix FM, a programme produced by Blanchardstown Centre for Independent Living (BCIL).
Tune in to Disability Matters Thursdays at 4PM | Repeats: Mon 3AM, Tue 3AM & 7AM | Also available on Mixcloud and on bcil.ie/radio.
Compiled by Valentyna Hordiichuk