Failure to provide ramp for disabled child

THE mum of a nine-year-old boy with Downs Syndrome and severe mobility issues says the Department for Infrastructure is denying him his human rights after they refused to replace steps outside their home with a ramp.

Joanne McNamee and her son Kayden live in the Ballycolman Estate. Born with Downs Syndrome and autism Kayden has had severe mobility issues since birth and used a buggy to move around. However a severe leg break compounded the issue and forced Kayden in to using a wheelchair, restricting his movement even more.

Joanne explains, “It’s got worse since Kayden has been in the wheelchair. He’s so big now I can’t carry him so there’s no way I can get him up the steps to the car. It’s a basic right for anyone to be able to leave their house and get to their car or the school bus, and Kayden can’t do that. I’ve been on at the Department about this since before lockdown, then I just wanted a rail put in, but now he’s in a wheelchair I need a ramp.

“The only way I can get Kayden out of the house is to take him round the block, and this takes us past the Gaelscoil which is a nightmare. Kayden has sensory issues and can’t cope with the crowds and the noise, he just loses it.

“The Department came out and had a site meeting and everything, but just said it would cost too much. They said if I could pay for it they would do the work, but where am I going to get that sort of money.”

Joanne says she has the full support of her neighbours, and that there are a number of other people in the area who would also benefit if a ramp was installed.

Independent councillor Raymond Barr is lobbying DfI on Joanne and Kayden’s behalf.

He explained. “This is making a very challenging situation worse for the child’s mum. I wrote to the DfI to ask that a ramp be installed on the steps so that Ms McNamee could access the bus with Kayden in his wheelchair, the reply I got after a site meeting explained DfI could not foresee a scheme being justified.

“However, and this is where I can’t get my head around their excuse, they said the Department could carry out improvements subject to a suitable design being established and provided funding could be made available from some other source – in other words if Ms McNamee can source the money the Department will do the work. I find this totally unacceptable and an infringement of Kayden’s human rights, even more so given that the Housing Executive has agreed to provide a ramp to allow Kayden to access and exit the house in his wheelchair,” he explained.

“Kayden’s mum is severely challenged in caring for her son and I find the Department are being totally insensitive to her and Kayden’s needs.

DfI were asked to comment on the situation. In particular they were asked: Are there any plans for the Department to replace these steps with a ramp, and if so is there a timeframe; If the Department won’t progress the replacement, will they carry out the work if funding can be secured another way; How much would this work cost, and how soon could it be done if the money is secured?

Responding a DfI spokesperson said, “Following a meeting with Cllr Barr the Department agreed that an assessment would be carried out into looking at examining potential alterations to the steps and replacing them with a ramp. The assessment will be fully completed as soon as possible.”