Introduction

Lucan Disability Action Group was established in October 2000 to address the needs of people with a disability in the Lucan area. It was established by eight members of the community and has now a membership of over thirty people from all parts of Lucan.

Mission Statement

The Lucan Disability Action Group seeks to empower and enable people with disabilities to enhance their quality of life, to achieve independent living and, to participate in social and economic life in the Lucan area. To lobby for change in policy and services to enable people with disabilities to fully participate in mainstream society and to live a life of their own choosing. We also wish for people with disabilities to have input into all policy decisions and service provision, which affect their lives.

• To promote, through practical empowerment, independent living for people with disabilities in the Lucan area.

• To promote equality and rights of people with disabilities.

• To lobby for change in policy and services to enable people with disabilities to fully participate in mainstream society and to live a life of their own choosing.

• To promote a positive image of people with disabilities as contributors to society and active members in community life.

1. Lucan Disability Action Group will provide a forum for people with disabilities living in the Lucan area to identify common needs and initiate actions to address them.
2. Membership of the Lucan Disability Action Group will be open to any groups or individuals interested in furthering the aims of our group.
3. Lucan Disability Action Group will be a representative body for people with disabilities living in the Lucan area.
4. Lucan Disability Action Group will be independent, elect its own officers and organise its own finances.
5. The Lucan Disability Action Group will actively network with other organisations to promote members’ interests.
6. Lucan Disability Action Group will work to raise public awareness around issues that affect people with disabilities in the Lucan area.
7. Lucan Disability Action Group will lobby public representatives on issues raised by its members and disability commissions.

Three Immediate Priorities that have been identified by the Lucan Disability Action Group to be addressed are as follows:

• Accessibility Audit of Lucan Village

• Accessible Transport Service

• Personal Assistance programme

People with a disability in the Lucan area do not use the amenities of Lucan village because there is a considerable deficiency of accessible buildings and services in the village and the external environment, such as accessible footpaths and disabled parking are non-existent. Such inaccessible services include local banks, shops and other public buildings. Also recreation areas including the Lucan demesne is totally inaccessible for people with a mobility difficulty.

A comprehensive Access of Audit of Lucan Village and its environs to properly assess the current deplorable situation of access to service and amenities in the Lucan area needs to be implemented. This audit will also contain a specification for improvement with priority listing of remedial actions to be undertaken.

Currently there exists no comprehensive accessible public transport service in Lucan. Also there is a decided lack of accessible taxis with trained drivers to provide an adequate taxi service to people with a mobility difficulty.

One of our key aims is to start a door to door accessible transport service for people with a disability in Lucan, as this is essential to enable us to take a full and active role in our local community, to seek opportunities in employment, education and social activities.

A personal assistance service for people with disabilities, which will enable us to be self-determining, make decisions and live a life of our own choosing, regardless of the extent of our disability. Lucan disability action group aims to empower people with disabilities in the Lucan area by providing a Personal Assistance service to have control, options and choices over their own lives.

Lucan Disability Action Group has first hand knowledge and experience of the demand for access to transport, independent living services and personal assistance. It is at the direct request of people with disabilities living in the Lucan area that a Personal Assistance and Accessible Transport Service is established and Access to the built environment is addressed. We receive many requests from community groups in the Lucan area for members of our group to get involved in their activities, but research to date confirms that without independent living services such as transport, personal assistants, access, etc., this is not a reality.

Offices are now located at  Muintir Na Tire, Lucan Village. 9.30am. to 4.00pm - Monday to Friday.  Tel:  6100475 jimmymurray@eircom.net joemooney@eircom.net