Disability Advocates 'Trapped and Embarrassed' by Accessibility Failures at Leinster House

 Dublin – A delegation of individuals with disabilities invited to Leinster House to deliver a training session on accessibility found themselves facing a series of obstacles that left them "trapped," "embarrassed," and "deeply disappointed" due to multiple failures in the parliamentary building's accessibility infrastructure.

The visit, organized by members of the HSE Gold Star Disability Awareness Training Programme along with volunteers from Tipperary, took place last June at the invitation of an Oireachtas member. However, according to a formal complaint emailed to the Oireachtas, the group encountered significant barriers upon arrival, including insufficient toilet facilities, inadequate drop-off provisions for people with limited mobility, and malfunctioning lifts.

The group described their experience as “astonishingly inaccessible,” highlighting that supposedly accessible restrooms were too small to accommodate wheelchairs. Further compounding the challenges, their bus was denied entry for drop-off near the entrance, and crucially, one lift malfunctioned midway through their visit, leaving five participants stranded on a lower corridor while others were left at the top.

“From the moment of our arrival, we encountered barriers and exclusion,” the group stated. “As able-bodied individuals passed by, our members were left stuck and mortified in a narrow corridor — fatigued, hungry, and without private access to suitable restroom facilities.”

The room where the accessibility awareness training was held was itself reportedly non-compliant with several key accessibility standards. When the group attempted to access the restaurant, they found that the main lift had broken down, and the alternative lift displayed a notice reading “Temporarily Out of Order.”

The organisation called for urgent engagement with Oireachtas management to address these longstanding issues, asserting that their treatment reflected a broader failure to uphold the rights to universal access and dignity.

In response, Clerk of the Dáil Peter Finnegan issued an apology, acknowledging the shortcomings of the visit.

“We fell well short of the standards that people are entitled to expect when they visit their National Parliament,” Mr. Finnegan said.

A representative from the group later returned in July to provide recommendations on how Leinster House could improve accessibility. However, progress has reportedly been slow, with particular delays in the upgrading and replacement of essential infrastructure such as lifts.

The incident has reignited calls for urgent action to ensure that Leinster House — as the symbolic heart of Irish democracy — reflects the values of inclusion, accessibility, and equal participation for all.