Wicklow County Council are working to make the services they provide accessible and inclusive for all.
We are committed to ensuring that people with disabilities and their families are included in this work.
In December 2020, the elected members of Wicklow County Council voted to ratify a new committee for Disability and Inclusion, called DISC for short.
This made them the first local authority to invest in disability inclusion in this way. DISC is chaired by Wicklow County Council’s Director of services, Michael Nicholson and is facilitated by the Disability Officer, Laura O’Callaghan.
Laura is a staff member of the Disability Federation of Ireland (DFI) and is on loan to Wicklow County Council for three days each week. This unique partnership with DFI means that we now have specialist expertise on accessibility available to us, within the council and on an ongoing basis.
DISC is facilitated by the council, but it is led by people with disabilities, working in cooperation with others.
Both our partnership with Disability Federation Ireland and our investment in DISC demonstrates our strong commitment to meeting our obligations under the Public Sector Duty and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Person’s with Disabilities (UN CRPD).
Learn more about the Disability and Inclusion Steering Committee, DISC, and how you can get involved.
If you have a suggestion, question, or complaint in relation to the accessibility of Wicklow County Council’s services, please contact disability@wicklowcoco.ie
“I need to speak to someone about …”
Roads, footpaths and problems I’m having getting around my local area
1. Municipal District Office
If you need to report an access issue, you should contact the relevant Municipal District Office. This is the office which is responsible for the town, village or area where the issue is. The Municipal District Office will get in touch with the local engineer and let them know that there is a problem.
Contact details for each of our district offices are available here.
2. Fix My Street
If you need to report any issue related to road defects, issues with street lighting, water leaks/drainage issues, graffiti and litter or illegal dumping, please call the relevant district office.
Contact details for each of our district offices are available here.
3. Wicklow County Council Access Officer & Disability Officer
Under the Disability Act 2005, each local authority is obliged to appoint an Access Officer. The role of the Access Officer is to “co-ordinate the provision of assistance and guidance to persons with disabilities in accessing services”.
In addition to the Access Officer, Wicklow County Council also employ a part-time Disability Officer, through a partnership they have with Disability Federation Ireland. You can find out more about the role of the Disability Officer here.
You can get in touch with the Access or Disability Officer by contacting disability@wicklowcoco.ie or by calling the Customer Service Hub on (0404) 20100 or CustomerService@wicklowcoco.ie
Housing & Disability
Wicklow County Council is responsible for the housing needs of people with disabilities and their families within its functional area. You can read Wicklow County Council’s strategy on Disability & Housing here.
How to apply for Housing
You can apply for social housing using the application form here.
This easy to read guide to filling in the social housing support application form may be useful.
Wicklow County Council are also responsible for awarding the following grants to people with disabilities and older people:
Mobility Aids Grants Scheme
Grants for works to address mobility problems in the home – such as installing grab-rails, level access shower, access ramps or stair-lift.
Housing Adaptation Grant for People With a Disability
For more extensive works, or if you do not qualify under the means test for the Mobility Aids Grants Scheme.
Housing & Disability Steering Group
Every local authority must have a Housing & Disability Steering Group. The Steering Group monitors consults with and advises Wicklow County Council on how to implement the National Housing Strategy for People with Disabilities in the area.
The Steering Group also monitors the plan for the delivery of social housing for people with disabilities. More information about this group is available in the Wicklow County Council’s strategy on Disability & Housing, available to read here.
Useful background reading
Housing for All: a New Housing Plan for Ireland – published September 2021
National Guidelines for the Assessment and Allocation Process for Social Housing Provision for People with a Disability
National Housing Strategy for Disabled People 2022-27 (audio version available also at this link)
National Housing Strategy for People With a Disability 2011-2016 (was extended to 2021)
National Implementation Framework for the National Housing Strategy for People With a Disability 2011-2016
Time to Move on from Congregated Settings: a Strategy for Community Inclusion (2011)
HSE Making a Home publication – a practical guide for people with disabilities moving to their own home in the community.
Sports and recreation
Wicklow Local Sports Partnership have a Sports Inclusion Disability Officer (SIDO) named Clara Jenkinson. Clara’s role aims to increase the participation of people with disabilities in sport, fitness and physical activity throughout the county. This is achieved through working in partnership with statutory agencies, sports clubs, community groups, facility providers, schools, disability service providers and people with disabilities.
If you would like to find out more about how the Sports Inclusion Disability Officer can support you, please contact cjenkinson@wicklowcoco.ie or visit www.wicklowlsp.ie for a full list of activities and training available.
Accessing my local beach or tourist attraction
Wicklow is full of beautiful places to visit and enjoy. Wicklow County Council Disability and Inclusion Steering Committee (DISC) are working with local attractions and rating them based on their accessibility. The blog we have written about accessibility in Glendalough is available to read here. We hope to complete more soon.
Work to improve the accessibility of beaches, tracks and trails in County Wicklow is ongoing. If you would like to find out more about this or have suggestions, please contact disability@wicklowcoco.ie
Other resources which may be useful include
https://www.mobilitymojo.com/
https://www.iwa.ie/access-guidelines/great-outdoors-access-guidelines/
Accessing my polling station to vote
Citizens Information have a comprehensive section on their website about facilities for voters with Disabilities.
The National Disability Authority also have useful information about the accessibility of voting and polling station.
The Returning Officer has responsibility for voting and polling stations. Wicklow County Council’s Returning Officer can be contacted on elections@wicklowreturningofficer.com
Getting my voice heard and participating more in my community
There are lots of ways you can have your say on issues that affect you and your community.
The Consultation Hub section of this website allows you to see a list of plans and projects that are open for the public to submit objections, support or ideas to.
The Public Participation Network (PPN) provides an inclusive and independent structure to enable community consultation and participation in policy and decision making so as to improve the quality of life and opportunities for people in the county. Any community group can join the PPN and can be nominated as community representatives to decision and policy making bodies in the county. Visit County Wicklow PPN's Website to find out more or contact info@countywicklowppn.ie
If you are interested in getting involved in Disability advocacy specifically you could join the Disability Inclusion Steering Committee (DISC) or a subgroup of the committee.
Learn more about the Disability and Inclusion Steering Committee, DISC, and how you can get involved here.
Accessing information in the language or format I prefer to use
If you are struggling to access the information you need on this website or would like to access it in another format, please contact customerservice@wicklowcoco.ie
Wicklow County Council have made every effort to make our information accessible, but we are welcome to hear your feedback on areas where you feel we have not reached the standard.
We are aware that some council documents may use language that is difficult to understand. Some of these documents are a standard template given to the council by Government. As the documents are used in every local authority across the country, we cannot always change them to make them easy to read. If you need support or would appreciate someone explaining the document to you, you can call the customer services hub on customerservice@wicklowcoco.ie or (0404) 20100.
Irish Sign Language
Wicklow County Council have an internal policy on making Irish Sign Language available to anyone accessing our services. If you want to request an Irish Sign Language interpreter, please contact the Customer Service Hub on customerservice@wicklowcoco.ie or (0404) 20100.
Accessing Council Meetings
Members of the public are welcome to join council meetings, which are usually held on the first Monday of every month in Wicklow Town. A stenographer is present at every Council meeting and the text of what is being said is live streamed on screen. You can find out more about council meetings here.
Changing Places
Wicklow County Council, supported by the Disability and Inclusion Steering Committee (DISC), understand the importance of Changing Places facilities and are committed to making them available across the county.
You can find out more about Changing Places here.
Changing Places are currently available in the Library in Wicklow town and Avondale Forest Park. Plans are underway to include a changing places in each district. To find out more contact disability@wicklowcoco.ie
Something else related to disability and access, not listed above
The Wicklow County Council Disability and Inclusion Steering Committee (DISC) are a diverse group made up of people with disabilities, council staff and other interested people and organisations from the community.
Learn more about the Disability and Inclusion Steering Committee, DISC, and how you can get involved.
Please let DISC know about any issues you have accessing council services or any ideas you have to improve access and inclusion in County Wicklow by contacting disability@wicklowcoco.ie .
Disabilitybray.ie has lots of useful information about Disability and Access.