Public Policy and Campaigns

NCBI Position Papers

Budget 2012

NCBI's submission to Budget 2012 calls on the Government to honour the commitments set out in the Programme for Government by protecting payments for people who are blind or vision impaired. Read the full submission here

Right to Read

Everyone has the right to read but unfortunately realising this right is more difficult for some people. All people living in Ireland have access to free books from their publicly funded local library but at least 14,800 blind or vision impaired people rely on one primary source for accessible reading material – NCBI’s library.

Shared Space

Shared space is a traffic calming measure originally developed in the Netherlands, which creates a street space that is shared by motorists, pedestrians and cyclists alike.

The difficulty with this concept for people who are blind or vision impaired is that it places the emphasis on eye contact and person-to-person negotiation between those using the space to decide on right of way.

Accessible Voting

One of the fundamental principles of democracy is the right to vote in secret in free and fair elections. Article 16 of the Constitution of Ireland states that all citizens who have reached the age of 18 years and who are not disqualified by law can vote in elections for Dáil Éireann. Although the Constitution also states that voting is done by secret ballot with each voter having only one vote, people who are blind or vision impaired are being denied this right and for thousands of people in Ireland, voting remains inaccessible.

Electric Vehicles

NCBI recognises the environmental benefits of electric vehicles and we encourage the increased acceptance of greener vehicles as they play an important role in improving fuel economy and reducing emissions. However, NCBI is concerned that the introduction of electric vehicles will have safety implications for all pedestrians, including pedestrians who are blind or vision impaired.

Increasing Provision of Audible Pedestrian Crossings and Tactile Paving

NCBI aims to increase more widespread provision of audible signals and tactile paving at traffic lights in the correct manner.

NCBI Submissions to Public Bodies

Here are some of NCBI’s latest responses to the government public consultations process which are of interest to people who are blind or vision impaired.

Broadcasting Authority of Ireland Access Rules Review

NCBI made a submission to te Broadcasting Authority of Ireland's(BAI) Access Rules Review. The full submission can be read here [Word, 1.23MB]

Under the Disability Act 2005, six Government departments must produce sectoral plans, outlining how they will comply with the Disability Act. These plans look at how mainstream services can be made accessible to people with disabilities and highlight the need for specific services where gaps exist.

Each of these plans were reviewed during 2009, with NCBI making submissions to each in an effort to ensure that the needs of people with vision impairments were taken into account.

The Government Departments that produced Sectoral Plans are:

• Sectoral Plan of the Department for Health and Children;
• Sectoral Plan of the Department for Social and Family Affairs;
• Sectoral Plan of the Department for Transport;
• Sectoral Plan of the Department for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources;
• Sectoral Plan of the Department for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and
• Sectoral Plan of the Department for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

NCBI also made submissions to a number of strategies under development, including the:

• National Positive Ageing Strategy;
• the Garda Siochána Strategy for the Older Person and
• Citizens Information Board Strategy.

In addition, we put forward comments on a number of customer service charters, including the:

• Department of Social and Family Affairs;
• Department of Communications and
• Citizens Information Board.

NCBI's submission on the Postal Directive [Word, 204KB]

Read NCBI's submission on the EU Directive on liberalising the postal sector. NCBI expresses our concerns about threats to the free postal service for people who are blind or vision impaired.

Campaigns

TV Access

With the introduction of digital terrestrial television in Ireland starting in 2009, the TV Access coalition, of which NCBI is a key member, was set up ensure that the new digital television service is accessible, usable and affordable for people with vision impairments.

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