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The Institute for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (IDiPD, I.P.) participated in the international conference “Advancing Accessibility in Transport”, held in Dublin, Ireland, on 9 June 2026, as part of the initiatives promoted by AccessibleEU – the European Accessibility Resource Centre. The meeting brought together government representatives, experts, transport operators, academia and organisations representing persons with disabilities to discuss strategies and solutions to promote more accessible, inclusive and person-centred mobility systems.

Throughout the various panels, it was widely argued that accessibility should be seen as a fundamental condition for the enjoyment of human rights and independent living. Participants underlined the need to ensure a fully accessible “mobility chain”, ensuring that all stages of travel – from travel planning to arrival at destination – can be carried out in an autonomous, safe and dignified manner by persons with disabilities.

Among the most important interventions was that of Ann Frye, which emphasised the importance of putting people at the heart of mobility and transport policies, advocating an integrated approach linking accessibility, innovation, engineering, urban planning and social inclusion. The need to involve persons with disabilities in the processes of designing, implementing and evaluating infrastructure and services has also been reinforced, ensuring that the solutions developed effectively address the needs of users.

Several international experiences and good practices were also presented that highlighted the importance of universal design, the active participation of persons with disabilities and the use of the lived experience of users in the design of infrastructures, services and transport systems. Discussions also highlighted the role of digital accessibility, training of professionals and cooperation between public authorities, transport operators and civil society organisations in building more inclusive and sustainable solutions.

The closing session was attended by the Irish Minister for Transport, who reaffirmed the Irish Government’s commitment to promoting accessible and inclusive transport systems, recognising mobility as a determining factor for the social, economic and civic participation of persons with disabilities. He also stressed the need to continue investing in the modernisation of infrastructure, the removal of barriers and the integration of accessibility as a cross-cutting principle of public policies, in line with the objectives of Ireland's National Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The participation of IDiPD, I.P. in this conference was a relevant opportunity to follow the latest European developments on accessibility and inclusive mobility, strengthen international cooperation and identify best practices that can contribute to the development of public policies that promote a more accessible, inclusive and participatory society.