PEOPLE Before Profit have announced that a disability rights activist will be their candidate in Dublin Bay North for the general election on February 8.
Bernard Mulvany, who has a daughter with spina bifida, founded the ACCESS for ALL campaign to make the DART network accessible for the elderly and those in wheelchairs and buggies.
According to Mr Mulvany, the group has received an overwhelming response since it was set up.
“While there is recognition that the disabled community should not be discriminated against, it is disgraceful that the basic right to public transport is denied to them,” said Mr Mulvany.
Mr Mulvany said that if elected, he is committed to making sure that disability rights remain at the top of the political agenda.
He also argued that lifts being out of order at DART stations “regularly” and the access to public transport is a climate issue.
“People with disabilities, as well as the elderly and parents of very young children want to play their part in reducing carbon emissions by switching to public transport,” said Mr Mulvany.
“Having lifts at so many stations out of order means that effectively they still have to depend on their car or someone driving them.”
Mr Mulvany said he also backs People Before Profit's policies for a fairer tax system, a publicly funded national health system and restoring the pension back to the age of 65. He also supports the party's “radical measures” to address climate change – like free public transport, penalising the big polluters and giving upfront grants for the retrofitting of houses.