Welcome to VVI’s summer newsletter
1. Degrees of Membership.
Did you know that VVI has three tiers of membership depending on the level of involvement and commitment that members are able to give.
We have the ordinary member level where VVI is interested from hearing from you on any challenges you encounter, and your ideas in removing barriers. You are also eligible for VVI to make representations on your behalf. To find out what is going on in VVI, you receive our updates or newsletters when they are issued, unless you would prefer to opt out of this. Membership of VVI is open to any blind or partially sighted person, or any guardian of a blind or partially sighted child in Ireland.
The next tier is for members who want to know a bit more about what is going on and to have the opportunity to contribute more in realtime to consultations etc., and to hear other members’ views and experiences etc. To join this second tier of membership, simply send an empty email to the VVI members list
vvi-members+subscribe@googlegroups.com
This will mean that you also get invited to VVI’s regular online members’ meetings.
The more involved tier is that of VVI rep, open to anyone with an interest who does not have a conflict of interest, e.g., who is currently representing any other disability-related organisation or who is a member of their staff. Reps can join our reps’ mailing list and be invited to our regular online reps’ meetings. Reps get to vote if there are potential changes of principle in our strategy or policies, etc., and get to represent VVI according to their own interests and availability.
If you would like to become a VVI rep, please email info@vvi.ie to say this, or call our co-ordinator on 086-3989365, and a copy of our constitution will be sent to you for your approval. Once there are no conflict of interests, our reps team will vote you onto itself. You can then sign up to our reps mailing list and be invited to our online reps’ meetings.
VVI’s Constitution mandates the role of “Co-Ordinator” to make executive decisions in the day-to-day operations of VVI. Our current co-ordinator is Dr. Robert Sinnott.
2. Coming Up On VVI’s Agenda.
While continuing to campaign on DPRO rights on the strategic level, the many areas of accessible communications, access to justice, built environment and public transport, as shown later on, the following are dates coming up which stand out a bit more, and to which we welcome ideas and input from all members.
2.1. National Economic Dialogue.
2.2. Voting In Elections.
2.3. List of Issues for UN Committee on Ireland’s Implementation of the UNCRDP.
2.4. Covid 19 Evaluation Panel.
2.5. Travel and Infrastructure.
2.6. Social Welfare.
2.7. Tourism.
2.1. National Economic Dialogue.
The Dept. of Public Expenditure and Reform has invited VVI to its National Economic Dialogue at Dublin Castle later this month, where we can engage in talks directly with Ministers regarding the budget later on this year. We can only have two representatives, and we have yet to decide which two Ministers to prioritise.
We also intend making a submission on the National Development Plan Review being hosted by the same Department. We also intend making a submission on Rural Development Policy for the period 2026-2030 run by the Dept. of Community & Rural Development.
2.2. Voting In Elections.
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters (JOCDM) has invited VVI to make a submission on accessible voting in Ireland, which we will have done by June 24th. While there are lots of ways in which the current system needs to improve, other formats of voting, such as phone and online, should also be options, as in Australia and Estonia, etc.
As a long-standing member of the Working Group on Disability Voting at the Franchise Unit in the Dept. of Housing, we will also be attending this month’s meeting of that working group.
On 24th March, VVI sent a submission to An Coimisiún Toghcháin (the electoral commission) regarding its “Public Engagement and Education Strategy,”, and on May 9th we sent a submission to the commission regarding its consultation on election posters, showing how posters are often as hazards to visually impaired pedestrians. We still have a long way to go regarding understanding of our DPRO rights by the Commission.
2.3. List of Issues for UN Committee on Ireland’s Implementation of the UNCRDP.
On June 20th, Jointly with our DPRO partners, Physical Impairment Ireland (PII), we will be sending our list of issues to the UN Committee to document the many areas of the UNCRDP (UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled People) that Ireland has fallen far short of since its ratification of the Convention in 2018. Our priorities will include:
- Article 4 (3) rights of exclusive close consultations on disability-proofing with Disabled Persons’ Representative Organisations (DPROs), who are the collective representative voice.
- Article 5. Need for the State to clarify that it knows the difference between reasonable accommodation (on the individual level), and accessibility (on the macro/systems level).
- Article 9. To ask the State to account for its continued lack of disability-proofing travel and transport infrastructure in ways that are UNCRDP-compliant.
- Article 21. To ask the State how it intends to remedy relative disempowerment of DPROs in implementation of the European Accessibility Act, including in terms of defining what is or is not adequately accessible.
- Article 33 (3). Why is the Independent Monitoring Mechanism of the UNCRDP in Ireland not itself compliant with key articles of the UNCRDP regarding prioritisation of DPROs in the monitoring process and disability-proofing of its own systems.
But we hope to have questions referring to most of the Articles from Article 4 to 33 of the UNCRDP.
2.4. Covid 19 Evaluation Panel.
In the coming weeks, we intend making a submission to the Covid 19 Evaluation Panel. Accessible distancing, testing and vaccination, will be to the fore.
2.5. Travel and Infrastructure.
In May, we participated in the Dept. of Transport’s Sustainable Mobility Forum, and as we finalise our written submission on its consultation regarding the future strategy of sustainable transport to 2030, we are heartened to understand that due weight will be given to DPRO submissions.
We also intend making a submission on accessibility of braille to the European rail regulation body in the coming weeks, as well as to Transport Infrastructure Ireland on Cork Luas.
In March, we made a submission to the Dept. of Transport’s Statement of Strategy.
2.6. Social Welfare.
We intend making a submission to the Dept. of Social Protection’s consultation on the successor to its “Roadmap for Social Change” by the end of June.
We also hope to have our pre-budget submission ready by the beginning of July.
In March, we made a submission to the Department’s Statement of Strategy (2025-8) consultation. Cost of Disability Allowance, which is non-taxable and non-means-testable, is our primary theme.
2.7. Tourism.
We are in close communications with Fáilte Ireland on the accessibility of its websites and on accessible and inclusive tourism, and look forward to this relationship developing to our mutual advantage (i.e., in terms of the Human Rights of accessibility of our members).
3. VVI’s Engagements for the past three months.
3.1. Housing.
3.2. Irish Human Rights & Equality Commission (IHREC).
3.3. Travel And Infrastructure.
3.4. Education.
3.5. Employment.
3.6. Accessible Media.
3.7. The Health Service Executive.
3.8. Individual Support And Assistance.
3.9. Government & Oireachtas.
3.10. Banking.
3.11.European Accessibility Act.
3.12. Justice.
3.13. Local Authorities.
3.1. Housing.
VVI continues to be represented on the Housing & Disability Steering Groups of Cork, Dublin City, Fingal, and Kerry, and on May 29th, we were represented, for the first time, as fulltime member of the Housing Agency’s Disability Strategy National Implementation Steering Group, which gives us more influence on policy and legislation regarding accessibility and housing needs of visually impaired people.. The Steering Group is currently looking at a revision of the current Disability Strategy Plan, on which we made a detailed submission in May.
We continued to be the only DPRO active on the working group of Universal Design in Dwellings, under the remit of the National Standards Authority of Ireland, and in April, attended subgroup meetings on the issue of fire remediation and emergency measures.
3.2. Irish Human Rights & Equality Commission (IHREC).
On April 11th, VVI had our second bilateral meeting with IHREC. While continuing to try to explain IHREC’s own obligations to DPROs to IHREC, we also had the opportunity to list the UNCRDP shortcomings by the State for IHREC’s own submission on List of issues to the UN Committee later in June.
On May 9th, we also joined other DPROs to discuss aspects of IHREC’s chosen three Articles to focus on – namely Article 10 (emergencies), Article 13 (access to justice), and Article 19 (independent living).
Separately, we met with IHREC’s legal / Human Rights unit to inform them regarding a currently confidential piece they are working on.
3.3. Travel And Infrastructure.
We continue to participate on the Disability User Groups of all public transport providers, while continuing to campaign that transport providers be UNCRDP-compliant in terms of DPRO-only close consultations on implementation of the UNCRDP.
We had our bi-monthly bilateral meeting with Irish Rail in May, with lots of action points for both Irish Rail and VVI to complete. In April, we met with Irish Rail on site to explain underfoot wayfinding needs from a visually impaired perspective, and we look forward to continued engagement on this subject making a noticeable material difference to our travel experiences very soon.
Also, in April, VVI was part of Irish Rail’s Disability User Group which met to see presentations on the planned new train station in Waterford. We still await accessible slides.
In March, we had a bilateral meeting with Transport Infrastructure Ireland on the planned transport hub at the Red Cow, and we made observations on same to the planning authority.
We have been closely consulted, since 2023, on accessible carriage signage for Luas carriages. In March and April, we contributed to broad consultations on accessible signage for emergency buttons and anti-social behaviour announcements regarding the Luas.
In April, we had a bilateral meeting with the National Transport Authority, but, still, unfortunately, the NTA has a very long way to go to be compliant with its obligations to DPROs under the UNCRDP.
In May, we made a submission to the Irish Aviation Authority’s consultation on strategy.
We continue close consultation and involvement in zero emissions vehicle infrastructure (Zevi) run by the Dept. of Transport.
3.4. Education.
In March, we met the State Examinations Commission to discuss its review, in conjunction with IHREC, of reasonable accommodations in school exams.
Review of State Examination Commission’s Reasonable Accommodation System.
https://vvi.ie/vvi-review-of-examinations-commissions-reasonable-accommodations-scheme-2025/?mc_cid=4a30af028f&mc_eid=c1221502a2
We have since heard back from the Commission that visually impaired candidates for exams up to the Leaving Cert are to get their additional time increased from fifteen minutes per hour to twenty minutes per hour.
In May, we made a submission to the Dept. of Further Education
3.5. Employment.
As well as other accessible employment fora, We continue our membership of AHEAD’s “WIDE” Framework advisory group
and Cuimsiú’s Advisory Group:
https://fit.ie/cuimsiu-programme/
Since March we have continued to support several of our members encountering discrimination in the workplace.
3.6. Accessible Media.
Following on from our ongoing partnership with Diageo in making sports events accessible, including lucky attendance of VVI members along with their ten companions, at the Ireland vs. England 6 Nations match, in February, In March, VVI members attended the Men’s 6 Nations match of Ireland vs. France, and later the same month, the women’s Six Nations match of Ireland vs. England. While neither result was favourable, the ten or so VVI members had a great time.
In May, VVI attended the User Consultative Panel run by Coinisiún na Meán with specific regard for accessible audio-visual media. While the forum is not UNCRDP-compliant in terms of engagement with DPROs, The Commission has assured us that it will prioritise the views and opinions of VVI as Ireland’s only DPRO specific to blind and partially sighted people in Ireland.
3.7. The Health Service Executive.
We continue to be closely consulted on all advisory committees run by the National Disability Quality Improvement Office of the HSE, including a newly-formed Expert Advisory Group on communications, which has no disability service-provider membership, and prioritises the views of DPROs.
3.8. Individual Support And Assistance.
We have seven or eight cases currently live where we are assisting or otherwise supporting VVI members in their efforts to overcome discrimination in varying contexts. These range from contexts of employment, sports participation, accessible public transport, and accessible communications in other contexts.
In March, we were closely involved in consultation on a review of the Public Interest Law Alliance, a subsidiary of the Free Legal Advice Centre. We would like to thank PILA and FLAC for their continued support for VVI members referred by VVI to their pro bono list.
3.9. Government & Oireachtas.
In March, we had a series of bilateral meetings with political party representatives on disability, and on April 9th, with our DPRO colleagues in Physical Impairment Ireland, we met the current Minister of State for Disability, Hildegarde Naughton. While The Dept. of Children Disability & Equality continues to deny VVI and PII our full DPRO rights, we will be engaging in broader stakeholder consultations with the Department later in June, 2025.
We congratulate People Before Profit, who in March, passed an internal resolution to disability-proof its own systems and policies through genuine DPROs. We look forward to all other political parties following suit.
Also in March, we made a submission to the Department of Children, Disability & Equality’s statement of strategy.
3.10. Banking.
We continue to have monthly bilateral meetings with Allied Irish Banks with regard to its understanding of accessibility and reasonable accommodation so that visually impaired customers can seamlessly access its services. We continue to try to establish a close relationship with the Central Bank with a view to its role in the implementation of the European Accessibility Act on June 28th, but they are lacking guidance from the Dept. of Disability on the obligation to closely consult with DPROs.
3.11. European Accessibility Act.
We made a submission to the Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) regarding microenterprises and the European Accessibility Act, and also press for the CCPC to understand its obligations to DPROs. We are particularly concerned that the CCPC will be recommending systems that don’t include physical pin-pads on point-of-sale machines, which would be highly discriminatory and disabling for our members.
3.12. Justice.
In March, we made a submission to the Dept. of Justice statement of strategy, and have made representations to An Garda Síochána on behalf of VVI members who felt that they were not receiving an accessible service from the Guards.
3.13. Local Authorities.
Fingal County Council will be publishing its disability strategy in July, 2025, and we are confident that it will be a massive step forward in terms of UNCRDP-compliance, including with regard to DPRO rights. VVI was happy to be involved in close consultations on this document.
VVI continues to be closely involved in campaigning for DPRO rights with Dublin City Council. There was early promise when DCC made it corporate policy that DPRO rights were to be upheld, but since co-design of the process ended in 2023, the basis has been substantially altered, without DPRO participation, so there’s a lot to do to turn things back round again.
VVI has representation on Dublin City Council’s Strategic Policy Committee on Mobility & Public Realm, representing Dublin City Council’s Public Participation Network. We have our work cut out, given the lack of proper disability-proofing on NTA-sponsored projects in particular.
In March, we met with Cork City Council planners regarding disability-proofing of the outer ring-road to traverse the northern outskirts of the city. We are adamant that plans for island bus stops all along this route are is reckless planning and disablement by design.
In April, we made a submission on Wexford County Council’s public realm strategy, but since that Council is not aware of its obligations under Articles 4 (3) or 29 (b (ii)) of the UNCRDP, we have a lot of heavy lifting to do there, as with most councils.
In May, we met with the Arts Department of Fingal County Council to share our resources and to explain the Human Rights approach to disability-proofing. We look forward to a very constructive relationship with Fingal’s Arts Department, and also look forward to learning from the engagement, ourselves.