My Way Access

This morning I was International UK Brave Award Winner on World Justice Day. It is a huge honour to have won. My goal is to improve the lives and fight for a more equal society for disabled people. For more information: amnesty.org.uk/braveawards #disabled #omagh #worldjusticeday

This is a warning. A disabled man died during a plane transfer. Not a one-off. A system failure. If you’ve travelled as a wheelchair user, you know the risk. This exists in the UK & Ireland too. We shouldn’t be relying on luck. cutt.ly/8tPGeYWR

This isn’t success. It’s last-minute damage control. Support should never have been in doubt. Families were left anxious. Staff left exposed. “Workable” isn’t enough. This needed planning years ago. Now deliver a system that never fails again.

Not safety. Failure. Education Authority Northern Ireland & Department of Health Northern Ireland knew. Did nothing . Now disabled children lose vital support. cutt.ly/3tPw7X2c

35 years ago today, I had spinal surgery that changed my life. It didn’t just protect my body. It shaped how I see access, inclusion and why I challenge systems today. This is where my activism comes from. Read: cutt.ly/XtOGGQqq

Thank you everyone who has signed the open letter to Ministers about the need for a revised Disability Strategy. The consultation is closed but you can still sign the letter. We will set out what happens next shortly. my.actnowni.org/petitions/sign…

Over 300 have signed, but we need more before the consultation closes tomorrow. We need your voice. The Draft Disability Strategy is not good enough. We deserve real change, not tokenism. Sign & share 👇 my.actnowni.org/petitions/sign…

Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit ☘️ Proud of who we are, and still fighting for a more equal, inclusive Ireland Celebrate today, but don’t forget those who are still struggling to be heard

My Way Access has published a working draft of our response to the Draft NI Executive Disability Strategy 2025–2035 As part of the original co-design process, we believe Deaf and Disabled people deserve a strategy that delivers real change. Read it here: cutt.ly/WtUi8uBI

Grandpa Joe is going viral again. Here’s what i said 5 years ago.

It’s not just unpopular, @ArleneFosterUK, it’s morally wrong. The UK Gov is slashing welfare for disabled people and stripping away support to get into work. NI still has no Disability Strategy to protect our rights. Cutting welfare to bankroll unethical wars is disgraceful.

Deaf and Disabled people deserve more than token gestures. The Draft Disability Strategy is not good enough. We’re calling on Executive Ministers to listen, work with us, and deliver a strategy that genuinely improves our lives. my.actnowni.org/petitions/sign…

International Women’s Day celebrates equality. Disabled women face ableism and sexism. Women carers are often invisible. Equality means all women. #InternationalWomensDay

Happy International Wheelchair Day 2026. My wheelchair is not my weakness. It is my freedom. It helps me reach my strength, not limits it. Do not pity me. Do not turn me into inspiration. See the person. See the man. I am Dermot. #Disabled #DisabledLife #Wheelchair

We've created an online alternative for people and organisations to sign the open letter to Executive Ministers. Please use the link below to support the call to revise the draft Disability Strategy. my.actnowni.org/petitions/sign… Please share widely - we deserve so much better.

We have published a statement about the Draft Disability Strategy on our website - imtac.org.uk/news/draft-dis…. The Strategy contains virtually no tangible commitments and will not improve our lives in any way. Deaf and Disabled people deserve much better from the Executive. 1/4

My Way Access was part of the original co-design panel for Disability Strategy. I’m deeply disappointed by what’s in this current draft. So are many across the wider disability sector. Please sign and share. We need a strategy that delivers real change, not weak aspirations.

Our recruitment for new members closes this Thursday 26th February. There is still time to apply if you are passionate about making travel and places accessible and inclusive. Visit the following link for more information: imtac.org.uk/member-recruit…

An MLA pay rise of £14,000. At the same time, post-18 education funding for young people with SEN isn’t available. Disabled people’s services are being cut. And the proposed Disability Strategy? No meaningful financial commitment to make a tangible difference to Deaf and disabled people’s lives. So what are we left with? A document full of warm words. Hopes. Aspirations. But no funded action. How can elected representatives justify awarding themselves a substantial pay rise while telling disabled people there’s “no money” for education, support services, or real implementation of rights? A strategy without financial backing is not a strategy. It’s a brochure. Post-18 support is the difference between opportunity and isolation. Between independence and being pushed back into dependency. Between dignity and exclusion. This isn’t about envy. It’s about priorities. When politicians secure £14,000 more each, while disabled people are handed cuts and unfunded promises, it sends a clear message about whose lives are valued. Disabled people deserve more than recycled commitments and empty frameworks. We deserve funded change. Right now, the priorities are fundamentally wrong.

Another productive meeting with @ImtacNI this afternoon on Zoom. We discussed a lot of important issues that impact a lot of deaf and disabled people. If you are interested in joining IMTAC: imtac.org.uk/member-recruit… Recruitment closes on Thursday 26th February 2026 at 5pm.

Valentine’s Day can feel strange when you’re single, especially as a disabled person. Being single doesn’t mean being incomplete. Love is friendship, family, community, and self-respect. Everyone deserves love. That includes you. cutt.ly/ltmfqXpt