Killarney disability access

Killarney told it must do more to assist those with disabilities

KILLARNEY has been called upon to take the lead when it comes to tackling disability issues.The town council, which has signed up to the Barcelona Declaration, should take a step further by setting an example to its counterparts worldwide when it comes to improving its facilities for people with a disability, according to Cllr Tom Doherty.Pointing out that 10 per cent of the population have a disability, he said Killarney as a tourist town should make sure its services are accessible to everyone.“If 10 per cent of people in the country and the county have a disability, as well as 10 per cent of holidaymakers, that’s a lot of people,” Cllr Doherty told The Kingdom.One way in which the local authority could begin to address the issue is by installing a loop system in its offices which would benefit people who suffer from hearing difficulties, he maintained.A loop system comprises an insulated wire fixed around a designated listening area connected to a power source, an amplifier and a microphone. The microphone picks up sound from the sound source and carries it to the amplifier which in turn sends the sound signal in the form of a current around the loop.The current flowing through the loop causes the wire to act like a transmitting aerial and the hearing aid user can receive this signal if the hearing aid has the ‘T” facility.Some loops can be fitted around the perimeter of a room in a public building such as the council chambers, said Cllr Doherty. “I am calling for counter loops for the council chambers,” he said.“If you are a person with a hearing aid you can simply switch to the T frequency on the hearing aid and zone in on the speaker while tuning out background noises.” Introducing deaf awareness training for council staff would also help address the issue, said Cllr Doherty.One third of people aged between 60 and 70 have hearing loss, with around two-thirds over 70 experiencing hearing loss, and a total of 18.9 per cent of people aged between 51 and 60 having hearing difficulties, he added.“Ireland is becoming an aged society and we have to look to the future,” said Cllr Doherty.He has called on the Killarney Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, as well as hotels, banks and other public buildings to seek out information to improve their customer care services for people with a disability.

The Kingdom newspaper