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13th December 2011 • Volume 18, Issue 37 • Leader House, North Street, Swords, Co. Dublin. • ISDN 8139966 • Tel: 8•400•200
Lusk Mother’s Anger At Dublin Bus A
CHRISTMAS
Lusk mother of two children who have Special Needs, has been denied entry on to a Dublin Bus in the past week, due to her refusal to fold her son’s special needs buggy. This is the second time that this has happened in the recent past and has caused her much anxiety. It seems that every time she uses a bus, there is an issue related to the buggy.
By Patrick Finnegan The County Leader spoke to Dublin Bus to get clarification about the situation regarding special needs buggies and was told by a spokesperson for the company: “Dublin Bus is committed to providing a service which is accessible to all. Dublin Bus vehicles have a dedicated space for wheelchair users, or any apparatus used by people with a disability as in the case of your reader. This space can also be used for a parent with a buggy which can remain unfolded in the wheelchair space if it is free.” The spokesperson continued, “Two standard size buggies will not fit into this space without infringing on the aisle. If a wheelchair user or person with a disability wishes to board when there is an unfolded buggy in the wheelchair space, the driver will ask the passenger to fold the buggy and either put it in the luggage space or keep it by their side safely. Wheelchair users have priority use of this space.” Suzanne Irwin, from Kelly Park in Lusk was told by a Dublin Bus driver that the buggy for her four year old son, Thomas was too big and that only one special needs buggy was permitted on the bus. As there was no other special needs buggy on the bus at the time, Suzanne is mystified as to why she was denied entry on the bus. As she does not have a car, she is totally dependant on public transport to ferry Thomas to Temple Street Hospital for his regular visits there. Thomas, who celebrated his fourth birthday last week, suffers from Severe Global Development Delay and needs round the clock care. He also
suffers from ADHD symptoms and Autism traits, as well as complex epilepsy. Her other son, Jason is eight and a half and suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome. As well as Temple Street Hospital, Suzanne also brings Thomas to an assessment centre in North Great George’s Street. She told to the County Leader that when she went to get on the bus in Lusk to bring Thomas to Temple Street, the bus driver stopped her in her tracks. “You’ll have to fold it,” he said. “I can’t,” was the reply. The special needs buggy is sometimes referred to as a wheelchair and is extremely difficult to fold. It has to be the size it is because Thomas is able to escape from normal sized buggies. “He has no sense of danger and he will run out in front of traffic, without hesitation,” explained a clearly frus- Pictured is Lusk woman, Suzanne Irwin with her son, Thomas at the bus stop in Lusk. trated Suzanne. “I explained to the driver that it can take a long time to fold and I have to keep a sharp eye on Thomas €10 Sto all the time.” Filler Vo cking Suzanne explained that the driver insisted that The Champagne uc she fold the pram. “When I explained the difficulAvailab hers of Pedicures le ties, I suggested that he should do it, he just laughed. A man on the bus offered to fold his own • Stimulates blood circulation • Refreshes and Relaxes you buggy, which was not a special needs one, to make room for mine, but the driver paid no heed • Relieve Stress and Combat Fatigue and showed me the sign saying that only one • Stimulates Acupuncture Points special needs buggy is permitted. However, there • Provides Relief For Psoriasis and Eczema were no other special needs buggies on the bus at that time. I rang Dublin Bus and they told me that And it’s priority is given to special needs prams and Not Expensive!!! buggies. But I was not given an answer as to why I €12 for 15 minutes was not allowed on the bus. There is a limited €20 for 30 minutes service from Lusk, with buses running once per hour. This appears to be a situation where the driver in this case was unaware of the rules in relation to WE ARE special needs buggies and that Suzanne and HERE X Thomas should not have been treated in such a MA LL cavalier fashion.
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