A local wheelchair user has highlighted his concerns in relation to dog fouling and inappropriate parking. Michael Sweeney from Cavan was speaking on this morning's Joe Finnegan Show after a recent survey by the NCBI found that dog fouling was the third most reported obstacle that people who are blind or visually impaired face.
Despite this, there were just 82 dog fouling fines handed out by local authorities across Ireland last year.
According to the Cavan man, difficulties faced by dog fouling somewhat "eases" during the summer months due to increased visibility and people feeling more anxious about getting caught.
While the full-time wheelchair user says the overall policing of dog fouling can be "difficult," he believes funding is "essential" in dealing with this issue. He added that inappropriate parking is also becoming problematic for people with disabilities when trying to access footpaths and pavements.
"There definitely is a problem with people parking across the low kerb where you come down with your wheelchair or even for a parent with a pram," Michael explained. "When vehicles are parked like this, there is no access for people getting up and down."
While the Cavan native praised the work of local traffic wardens, he believes more should be done to alleviate the issues faced by people with disabilities over dog fouling and inappropriate parking. According to the report, a total of two fines were issued for parking inappropriately in Cavan, meanwhile 36 fines for parking inappropriately were issued in Monaghan.
