Long-time campaigners bristle at politicians' back-patting over new lift at Clongriffin Dart Station

Bernard Mulvany, co-founder of the disability-rights group Access for All, says that it was some time in 2020 that he and his co-founder noticed that Clongriffin Dart Station was an outlier on the rail network. 

It was particularly inaccessible, Mulvany says.

“At the time, the lift was very unkempt, and, you know, breaking down a lot,” says Sean O’Kelly, the other co-founder of Access for All. 

An underlying problem was that the lift was – until a recent purchase by the Land Development Agency – on private land. 

“It was a real, real problematic piece of public transport infrastructure,” Mulvany said.

Noticing this kicked off what Mulvany, who was a candidate for People Before Profit in the 2024 general election, described as a years-long campaign involving disability activists, local residents, and councillors. 

Initially, it was Mulvany, O’Kelly, and Social Democrats Councillor Joan Hopkins trying to push for accessible access, according to Mulvany.

"It was a long, slow process," Mulvany said. "We had to, over years and years, tease out and campaign for a resolution, which we got – to our great joy." 

On Monday, campaigners gathered for a photocall to mark the installation of a new lift by the National Transport Authority, and an improved public realm around the access point.

But the buzz had been dampened, slightly, by a video posted on Instagram in the run-up, said Mulvany.

Back-patting

The video posted on Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien’s account on 5 December shows O’Brien and his party colleague, Fianna Fáil TD Tom Brabazon, meeting contractors on site, foreshadowing the lift’s opening.

In the voiceover, O’Brien said he wanted to particularly thank Brabazon. “Tom has been leading the charge on this,” he said.

Brabazon said he wanted to thank O’Brien: “And being involved in the process from the very beginning … when he took over as minister for transport.”

For Mulvany, it was galling, he said. “They were actually trying to take credit for the extremely hard work that we have put in over five years, and we found that, we found that we were cross.” 

Brabazon said by email on Tuesday that his records showed he had made numerous representations on the issue on behalf of local residents, while a councillor and as a  Dáil candidate, had raised it with O’Brien, and had attended a protest.

“I also acknowledge the persistent efforts of local campaigners, members of the public and other public representatives who tirelessly raised the concerns of the local community and advocated for improvements either directly or through their local elected representatives,” he wrote. “Their voices without a doubt ensured this project became a reality.”

O’Brien, meanwhile, said by email that he recognised the collaborative effort of state agencies, councillors, and community campaigners representing all kinds of public-transport users. 

“I also want to acknowledge the persistent efforts of local campaigners and public representatives across the board who tirelessly raised these concerns and advocated for improvements,” he said. 

He had made a short visit with Brabazon to see the works, and he talked to Brabazon about how the TD had raised it as an issue with him. “This was in no way to undermine everyone else’s work over the last number of years and should not be taken as such.”

###A long campaign

Access for All co-founder O’Kelly said that the Clongriffin Dart Station had been one of the first projects that the organisation had taken on. 

“I think it’s absolutely disgraceful, quite honestly,” he said, of the social media video of O’Brien and Brabazon.

Disability activists were joined by local residents’ groups, including the Myrtle-The Coast Residents Association. 

Community members such as Samantha O’Flanagan – a special needs assistant, who has also been involved in the residents association – became core campaigners, according to Mulvany.

They organised petitions, protests, and public meetings, and regularly engaged with Irish Rail, the National Transport Authority, and Transport Infrastructure Ireland, he said.

Said Mulvany, of Access for All: “I was the only one that put on a public meeting in the area in relation to the lifts, and on a very stormy night, we got nearly 60 residents to turn up.”

For Mulvany, the dispute over credit cuts deeper because of who did the work. “It’s ableism at its finest,” he says. 

“We don’t have resources. We’re volunteers,” he said. “We have nothing. We just have hard work and social media.” 

For him, the episode reflects a broader pattern in how disability activists are treated, he says. “People with disabilities have always had to fight extra hard just to have basic needs met.” 

In the recent election, candidates brought up helping with accessibility and people with disabilities, he said. 

But since the election, he said, despite small increases to the Disability Allowance, people with disabilities will be significantly worse off under the new budget, said Hopkins, the Social Democrats councillor.

When next year’s budget was announced, the Irish Wheelchair Association calculated that people with disabilities would be almost €1,000 worse off a year.

People with disabilities are becoming more vocal in their opposition to being used, he said. “And that jars people at times, because they're not expecting for those with disabilities to be as robust now as we have to be.”

Just the first step

Hopkins, the Social Democrats councillor, said she's glad they finally got this win of the working lift, but it’s not enough – the solution is temporary.

"In any normal European, modern city you wouldn't have a big ribbon-cutting,” she said – with the mayor, ministers, officials. “And all of this craic just to open a lift that should have been there 15 years ago.” 

Likewise, O’Flanagan said that while the lift is a welcome improvement, it is only for now.

“It is still a short-term measure,” she said. “The ultimate goal remains full, permanent universal access.”

That means ramps to ensure 24/7 access and removing the existing stairwell core, which is not fit for purpose, she says. 

The LDA bought the 125-acre site on the eastern side of the Dart station from developer Richmond Homes back in March.

The land purchased by the LDA has existing planning permission for 1,931 homes, as well as creche facilities and commercial units, according to the LDA’s website.

After the purchase, the LDA gave the council a commitment to prioritise the construction of a new access into Clongriffin Dart station for residents of Baldoyle and The Coast.

In a letter to the council, sent on Friday, 6 June, Phelim O’Neill, the LDA’s director of development, set out the agency’s strategy for replacing the dirty old tower outside the station that holds the elevator.

O’Flanagan said that the permanent access can only be done once the housing project progresses. “We understand this will take time, but we'll continue to apply pressure to ensure it progresses as quickly as possible.”

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.