Trinity College Dublin: Irish study identifies financial and canvassing barriers for disabled political candidates. Posted on 25 February 2025.
The first Irish study of disabled political candidates has identified financial costs and difficulty canvassing as among the many systemic barriers facing disabled candidates who wish to participate in political life in Ireland
Other systemic barriers identified by the research include inaccessibility of the built environment, information and communication, negative attitudes, fear of violence, insufficient financial resources, and lack of support.
Key findings on the next slide.
Key findings:
Systemic barriers were identified including barriers related to inaccessibility of the built environment, information and communication, negative attitudes, fear of violence, insufficient financial resources, and lack of support.
Canvassing was named as a major issue for many, including the ability to get to people’s front doors. Safety whilst out canvassing was also a concern. Being disabled results in additional costs when canvassing.
Access and funding were key and those interviewed believed it should be made available to all disabled candidates.
The catalyst for entering politics was not always related to disability or other intersecting identities, however, participants expressed a responsibility to represent others who shared their identities but were not as privileged.
Disclosure of a disability is a key consideration for disabled people, particularly those with invisible disability, when standing for election.
Representation or the lack of representation of particular communities in politics was of concern to those interviewed.
A new study out of Ireland has identified financial and accessibility barriers for disabled political candidates. These barriers reflect the barriers we see for disabled U.S. political candidates:
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