DLR Supports Make Way Day 2026 and Accessibility Work

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council will support Make Way Day 2026 on Friday the 29th of May. The national awareness campaign led by the Disability Federation of Ireland highlights the everyday obstacles faced by people with disabilities in public spaces. The campaign encourages individuals, businesses and organisations to consider how small actions, such as illegally parked cars or obstructive signage, can have a significant impact on accessibility and inclusion.

Make Way Day shines a light on barriers in the built environment and promotes a shared responsibility to ensure that public spaces are accessible to all. It aligns closely with the Council’s ongoing commitment to improving accessibility across services, infrastructure and community engagement.

In Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, accessibility is recognised as a core organisational responsibility, embedded across all departments and guided by national legislation and policy frameworks including the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty, the Disability Act 2005 and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 

The Council’s Equality & Access Office is leading a coordinated, organisation-wide approach to accessibility, focused on identifying barriers, implementing solutions and monitoring progress. This work is currently being strengthened through the development of a new Access Strategy, which will set out a framework for improving accessibility across the Council’s functions. 

A key element of this work is through the Council’s ongoing collaboration with the Disability Consultation Group (DCG), which brings together organisations such as Enable Ireland, the Irish Wheelchair Association and Vision Ireland to ensure that lived experience informs decision-making. The Group plays an important role in advising on projects, conducting accessibility audits and supporting the application of universal design principles in Council initiatives. 

Accessibility is being actively integrated into a wide range of projects and services across the county. These include public realm and infrastructure initiatives such as the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Masterplan, Living Streets Programme and village enhancement schemes, as well as ongoing walkability audits to identify and address barriers in streets and public spaces. 

The Council is also progressing work to improve digital accessibility, inclusive communications and service delivery, ensuring that information and engagement processes are accessible to all members of the community. 

In addition, the Equality Office is supporting capacity building across the organisation through staff training in areas such as disability awareness, universal design and inclusive service delivery, helping to embed a culture of equality and accessibility throughout the Council’s work. 

This work is underpinned by the Council’s commitment to the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty, which requires public bodies to actively promote equality, prevent discrimination and protect human rights in all areas of their work. 

Through participation in initiatives such as Make Way Day, the Council aims to raise awareness of the importance of keeping public spaces accessible, while continuing to address systemic barriers through planning, design and service delivery.

An Cathaoirleach, Jim Gildea of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council said:

“Make Way Day is an important opportunity to highlight the real and everyday barriers that people with disabilities encounter in our public spaces. It reminds us that accessibility is a shared responsibility.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is committed to creating an inclusive county where everyone can move freely and participate fully in community life. Through the work of our Equality & Access Office, Local Elected Members, Council Departments, the Disability Consultation Group and partners across the county, we are taking practical steps to improve accessibility and ensure that inclusion is at the heart of everything we do.”

Chief Executive of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Frank Curran said: 

“Make Way Day is a powerful reminder that our public spaces must be accessible to everyone. As a local authority, we are committed to creating streets and pathways where all members of our community, regardless of age or ability, can move safely and independently.”