For me the case for reopening rail links between Derry, Omagh, Belfast and Dublin is first and foremost about rail travel itself, what it uniquely provides, and why no other mode of transport has ever replaced it for disabled people. I’ve said it many times: when buses and taxis fail, rail delivers. That’s because rail […]
Why Rail Travel Is Essential for My Independence as a Disabled Person
Dermot Devlin: A Review of 2025
Turning Presence into Pressure and Learning When to Pause 2025 was not a quiet year. It was a year of speaking, protesting, challenging power, and refusing to stay silent — but it was also a year that tested my limits. From conference halls in Dublin to the streets of London and Belfast, from Westminster corridors […]
Disappointment with the Draft Disability Strategy: A Briefing Paper
This is a briefing paper developed by Imtac in collaboration with 3 other members of the former Disability Strategy Co Design Group. It sets out the collective concerns over the Draft Executive Disability Strategy published for consultation on the 9th December 2025. Copies of the paper are available below in word and pdf formats. Hard […]
Shopmobility Omagh: International Day for Persons with Disabilities – My Speech
Good morning everyone, and thank you for being here. When I speak about disability, I don’t speak as an observer. I speak as someone who lives it, navigates it, challenges it, and fights every day to make this district fairer and more accessible. And I speak as the Vice-Chair of Fermanagh & Omagh District Council’s […]
Challenging BBC Misinformation: Stand Up Against the Nolan Show’s Misleading Motability Debate
The Nolan Show on BBC Radio Ulster (05/11/2025) broadcast a deeply misleading and harmful segment about the Motability Scheme, built on false claims about “luxury cars” and supposed lack of rules. In reality, the scheme is tightly regulated: young people under 25 cannot lease the kinds of BMWs and Mercedes mentioned, there are clear rules […]
A Life Worth Living: Join Us at Stormont
Date: Thursday 3rd July 2025 Registration, tea/coffee & buffet: from 6:30pm Main event: 7:00pm – 9:00pm Location: The Great Hall, Parliament Buildings, Stormont Why This Event Matters On 3rd July, I’ll be speaking at a deeply meaningful event at Stormont — “Life Worth Living – A Celebration”. It’s more than a gathering. It’s a stand […]
Northern Ireland Launches New Blue Badge Design to Tackle Misuse and Improve Access
A new Blue Badge design has been introduced in Northern Ireland in a bid to curb fraud and ensure the parking scheme truly benefits disabled people. The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) says the updated design, featuring improved security features, will help prevent misuse and make the scheme more robust. Blue Badges allow disabled people and […]
Join Disabled People Against Cuts Northern Ireland to Say NO to Westminster Labour Imposed Disability Benefit Cuts
1pm Monday 14 April 2025 Erskine House, 20 – 32 Chichester Street, Belfast BT1 4GF While lavishing money on the military, the Labour government is rushing ahead with its attack on support for Deaf and Disabled people announced in Rachel Reeves’ Spring statement and proposals outlined in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to […]
PRESS RELEASE: Protest Against Disability Benefit Cuts
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE On Wednesday 26th March Disabled People Against Cuts, Deaf and Disabled benefit claimants from across the country will descend on London as part of National Action to demand “Welfare Not Warfare” in protest against the Spring Statement and proposed £5bn cut to welfare spending outlined by the Department for Work and Pensions in their Green Paper ‘Pathways […]
Labour Step Up Tory War on Disabled People! Please join in this important campaign.
Please join in this important campaign Labour Step Up Tory War on Disabled People! Calling all disabled people to us about the impact on you of the Labour Government’s attacks in the media. We need you to record a short video message telling the world what you think of Starmer, Reeves and Kendall using the […]