The Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) is calling for appropriate measures to be taken to remove all barriers to ensure that people with disabilities can fully participate in the electoral process in what is a very big year ahead for elections and referenda in Ireland.
In the February 2020 general election, 29 buildings servicing 43 polling stations were not accessible to wheelchair users, according to the National Disability Authority’s Overview Paper of UNCRPD article 29 in Ireland.
Furthermore, a survey carried out by IWA member Dr Vivian Rath, Trinity College, and Maria Ní Fhlatharta of Disabled Women Ireland, in the aftermath of that election, showed that one in every two disabled people who responded faced barriers to voting
Dr Rath, an expert on the political participation of people with disabilities, and who uses a mobility scooter, found himself without access to an accessible polling booth despite a prior request to the returning officer during the 2020 General Election.
Their survey found that the obstacles people with disabilities encountered included lack of easy-to-read candidates’ information leading up to the election, inaccessible polling booths, not being able to get into the polling station and difficulties with the tactile voting template for the visually impaired.
Joan Carthy, National Advocacy Manager with Irish Wheelchair Association said that if the government truly wants to include people with disabilities in the electoral process these issues must be addressed.
She added: “It’s hard to believe that people with disabilities are still encountering multiple challenges relating to accessibility of polling stations and information material. We are being treated as second-class citizens and it is just not acceptable.”
She pointed out that Government is failing in its commitment under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’ (UNCRPD) which Ireland ratified in 2018.
Article 29 of the UNCRPD, stipulates that state parties should; ensure that voting procedures, facilities, and materials are appropriate and easy to use for persons with disabilities; and protect the rights of persons with disabilities to vote by secret ballot.
Dr Vivian Rath emphasised: “The right to political participation, including the right to vote and to stand for election is enshrined in several international human rights treaties. Being prevented from voting the same as your friends and neighbours acts to isolate you from your community.
“In other countries they have introduced universally designed polling booths which are suitable for all. Why can’t this be done in Ireland?”
He added: “I am very eager to see that people with disabilities firstly have the opportunity to vote and secondly that they use that opportunity to bring about the change they want to see. This can only happen if we have a fully accessible voting system. People with disabilities should have the same voting opportunities as every other voter as is our right under the UNCRPD.
Dr Rath believes that the government and the country need to take a wider view around voting and voting rights, and not just regarding access to voting but also around people with disabilities being able to run as candidates, engage in campaigning and being involved in political parties.
“People with disabilities make up 22% of the population yet they have identified as having extremely low participation in public and political life. We need to consider what are the consequences of not having people with disabilities involved. They do not have the opportunity to contribute to the decision-making process around issues that concern them.”
While the option of a postal vote is there for people with disabilities Joan Carthy says it should only be used if a person’s personal circumstances prevent them from being able to go to a polling station, rather than a polling station or materials not being accessible.
“There is no excuse for these barriers. There are more than enough options within communities to secure venues which are fully accessible” she stressed.