Airport Genie

Genie Speed
Genie Speed allows customers to get through the airport faster using the Fast Track Boarding Card queue. Customers will receive Airport Information Alerts and Flight Information Alerts direct to their mobile phone, keeping them informed of their flight status while at the airport.
Price: €7.50 per person

Genie Comfort
With the Genie Comfort service, you get all the benefits of Genie Speed plus you get access to the airport lounge before you fly, giving you time to leaf through your favourite magazines, check in with work – if you really must – or simply provide you with a well-deserved stretch of peace and quiet before you jet off.
Price: €26.00 per person

Genie Family Care
If you are travelling with family, the Genie Family Care service ensures that each step of your journey through the airport is a light one, offering you an extra pair of hands to ensure your journey through the terminal is as smooth as it is enjoyable.
Price: €45.00 per family (up to 6 people)

Genie Chaperone
A Genie Chaperone will guide you or a loved one through the airport from departure area to the boarding gate providing you with assistance and help on all steps of your journey.
Price: €35.00 (for 2 people)

Genie Welcome
Genie Welcome offers customers their very own personal attendant to meet them at the aircraft and escort them to the baggage hall to collect their bags and then escort them to their car (short term car park), shuttle bus, taxi or public transport.
Price: €35.00 (for up to 6 people)

To book an Airport Genie Package simply visit airportgenie.com. Simply choose which package you require and let Airport Genie do the rest!

ENDS
Need to know more about Airport Genie?
Hunter PR will be happy to assist you. For all press enquiries and image requests, please contact lynn@hunterpr.ie at Hunter PR. Or alternatively, you can call us on 086 417 4986, or 01 905 6350.

PTO for more information

Airport Genie Q&A

1. Who can use Airport Genie?
Airport Genie is within the reach of all travellers departing from, or arriving at, Dublin Airport. From business travellers for whom every second counts, to families who need a helping hand with young or elderly family members, to those who want a little pre-flight pampering.

2. How do I book the services of Airport Genie?
Simply visit airportgenie.com or call the Customer Care on +353 1 944 2020. Debit and credit cards are accepted including Visa, Master Card and Laser.

3. How much do these services cost?
Airport Genie services range from €7.50 to €45.

4. Where do I pick up my Airport Genie vouchers?
Airport Genie vouchers are sent via email, 72 hours before the relevant departing/arriving flight. If a passenger hasn’t received their vouchers by the designated time, they can call the Airport Genie help team on +353 1 944 2020 and they will be sent the voucher, alternatively, they can visit airportgenie.com and retrieve the booking and email the voucher to themselves again.

5. Can Airport Genie be used to chaperone family members in your absence?
Yes, an Airport Genie Chaperone will guide a passenger, or a loved one, through the airport ensuring they arrive at their departure gate in comfort.

6. I will be travelling as a family. Does each person need to book a separate attendant?
No. One attendant can cater for up to six people. Your attendant will be available for one hour approx.

7. Can I cancel a booking?
Yes, however if it is cancelled within 72 hours of the flight time, a full charge will still apply. Bookings may be cancelled online at airportgenie.com by visiting the ‘manage your booking’ page. One can also cancel over the phone by calling Airport Genie’s Customer Care on +353 1 944 2020.

8. What facilities are available for me in the Executive Lounges?
You will be able to avail of free wi-fi access throughout the lounge, including complimentary newspapers, magazines, drinks and snacks.

9. Are children allowed in the Executive Lounges?
Yes, however, they must be accompanied, and supervised, by an adult at all times.

10. Is Airport Genie available for all departures/arrivals?
Yes, Airport Genie services are available for all flights operating in and out of Dublin Airport.

11. My relative can’t speak English. Do the Airport Genie attendants speak other languages?
Yes, our Airport Genie attendants can speak Polish, Lithuanian, Russian, Hungarian, French and Romanian. If you require an attendant with a specific language we advise that you book your Airport Genie service well in advance.

12. Who is Airport Genie ?.
Airport Genie is part of the DAA group. It has a separate management and operations team and contracts services from other operating units within DAA as well as from 3rd party companies.

ZeroConference

Accessibility summit – the best minds for a global challenge

The conference began with introductory comments by the honorary patron of the conference H.R.H. Prince Ra’ad bin Zaid, which were delivered by the Ambassador to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, His Excellency Mr Makram Mustafa Queisi. After the opening speeches by the initiators Martin Essl (Essl Foundation), Jakob von Uexkull (World Future Council) and Fred Luks (Director of Corporate Sustainability at Bank Austria), the European dimension of disability policy was discussed in the first keynote session. Under Chairmanship of Miguel Ángel Cabra de Luna, Co-chair of the European Consortium of Foundations and Human Rights and Disability and Member of the European Economic and Social Committee, Johan ten Geuzendam, Head of Unit for Rights of Persons with Disabilities of the European Commission, Elisabeth Schroedter, Member of the European Parliament who travelled to Vienna specifically for the Zero Conference, and Ioannis Vardakastanis, who as President of the European Disability Forum is Europe’s “highest-ranking disability rights representative”, discussed issues such as the European Disability Strategy, regulations of the Structural Funds and other challenges. Together they demanded that the fifth EU antidiscrimination directive, which is a particularly important step for the protection of rights for persons with disabilities, is finally adopted. In this regard, especially the German government was criticised for its obstructive stance in the European Council.

The second, high-profile keynote session was centered entirely upon laws addressing antidiscrimination, accessibility and equality for persons with disabilities. Federal Minister of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection Rudolf Hundstorfer introduced the Austrian
Federal Disability Equality Act and, under the direction of Professor Lisa Waddington of the European Disability Forum Chair in European Disability Law at the University of Maastricht, Charles D. Siegal, attorney and member of the Human Rights Committee of the International Law Association who joined the Zero Conference from the USA, Antonio L. Martínez-Pujalte López, Professor for Political and Legal Philosophy from Spain, and Lord Colin Low, Vice President of the Royal National Institute of Blind People and Member of the House of Lords, examined exemplary aspects for which the respective legislations were selected for discussion, as well as their continued weaknesses. The clear result of the discussion was that for example injunctive reliefs should be introduced in the Austrian law. They do exist already in the British and American equality legislation and achieved considerable progress for the rights of persons with disabilities. In the afternoon, the eight selected policies were discussed intensively in parallel workshops. In addition to leading representatives from the implementing countries, prominent experts from Austria also took part, including Helene Jarmer MP, Disabity Rights Spokesperson of the Greens, Dr Franz-Josef Huainigg MP, Disabity Rights Spokesperson of the People’s Party, Dr Michael Landau, President of Caritas Vienna, Prof Dr Germain Weber, President of Lebenshilfe Austria, Albert Brandstätter, Director of Lebenshilfe Austria, Martin Schenk, Deputy Director of Diakonie Austria, Dr Erwin Buchinger, Disability Ombudsman, Dr Max Rubisch, disability policy expert of the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection, Hon Prof Dr Georg Kathrein, Director of the Civil Law Department of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Barbara Schwarz, responsible Member of the Provincial Government of Lower Austria, Franz Wolfmayr, President of EASPD, Bernadette Feuerstein, Board Member of Independent Living Austria, and many others.

The results from the perspective of the organisers

Due to the considerable number of participants and enormous resonance not only within, but also beyond, the community, the organisers consider their first goal of establishing a new and comprehensive platform of exchange and networking achieved. “We are proud to have established with the Zero Conference an important international forum for discussing exemplary solutions for the most important areas in disability policy such as inclusive education and independent living. The positive reception was revealed by the quality of the discussions, but particularly by the numerous parliamentarians and disability rights activists who joined us from all over Europe and abroad. Our common objective must now be the concrete implementation of these solutions in as many countries as possible”, states Ingrid Heindorf, Policy Officer for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of the WorldFuture Council and co-author of the Zero Project Report. After this successful start, the main focus of the organisers will be on the project’s long-term development, in the scope of which its strengths will be expanded upon even further: “We are particularly delighted about the success of this innovative conference concept, which features exclusive discussions of exemplary solutions and their possibilities for implementation in order to learn from the best. As organisers, we received considerable encouragement from the conference participants and are already working on its continuation next year”, says Dr Michael Fembek, Programme Manager of the Essl Foundation and coauthor of the Zero Project Report.

The organisers
The Essl Foundation was established in March 2008. It has been endowed with adequate financial resources to ensure the long-term presentation of the annual Essl Social Prize and support of other social activities, to provide support to persons in need, and to raise public awareness about the need for such support. The World Future Council established by Jakob von Uexkull consists of 50 respected personalities from politics, the business world, civil society, science and culture from all five continents. In close collaboration with civil society groups, members of parliament, governments, businesses and international organisations, the WFC researches future just policies and legislation, and advises political decision-makers in their implementation. The WFC is currently active in the areas of Future Justice, Climate and Energy, Sustainable Ecosystems, Sustainable Economies, Just Societies as well as Peace and Disarmament. Bank Austria has been a member of UniCredit, one of the largest European bank groups, since 2005 and employs 10,900 people in 372 locations in Austria (including the subsidiaries of the UniCredit Group in Austria). In addition to sponsoring activities in the areas of culture, sustainability and sports, the bank’s social contribution is reflected in its involvement with disadvantaged persons. Further information Zero Conference Press Coordination Office Matthias Noë, Proscom
Telephone: +43 664 1059185
Fax: +43 1 2347580
Mail: matthias.noe@proscom.at

Speaking on behalf on the NDA on East Coast FM this morning Siobhan Barron said; there has been a change in attitudes towards all different kinds of disability across all settings”

East Coast FM

Deputy Simon Haris said; “People with disabilities are seen as people who get sent a social welfare cheque . . . it’s about more than spending Euros it is about attitudes, showing that we attach priority, people with disabilities are full citizens of this state”

The report showed that 38 percent of people said that children with disabilities should be in the mainstream school, 21 percent said they’d object if they were in the same class as their children.

The NDA report flagged a significant set back in attitudes to disability across the board with a 7 percent drop in the number of people who know people with disabilities.

So we’re asking you, our Kanchi followers to let us know what you think is behind this shift in attitudes?

The Irish Times

Professor Mary McCarron, dean of the faculty of health sciences in Trinity College Dublin and lead researcher in the report said that most of the 750 people with intellectual disabilities interviewed said they were happy with their lives, while more than 50% said they were sometimes lonely. The report says that ‘training people with intellectual disabilities in the safe use of Social Media could be one way of improving contact between family and friends’. The study found that more than three quartes of adults, over the age of 40 with intellectual disabilities had never used social media, like for instance Facebook, texting or email to contact family and friends and less than 60% used the telephone.
Carers for those with intellectual disabilities however, are cautious regarding the use of Social Media as they are aware of how easily vulnerability can be exposed.
What do you think – Could Social Media be useful for people with intellectual disabilities in improving contact and links with family and friends? Or would it leave them exposed and vulnerable to those who prey on those most vulnerable?

The conference aims to act as an “International Think Tank” to accelerate the implementation of the UN Convention and will focus heavily on extensive country comparison and identifies solutions in order to exert constructive international pressure in favour of accelerated implementation. It aims primarily at identifying positive examples as well as laws which have eliminated social, legal, economic, political and environmental barriers to the rights of persons with disabilities.

Prior to the Zero Conference Caroline Casey said; “The fact that this conference has been totally over subscribed, with participants from 35 countries, with multi stakeholders is testament to the approach it is taking – one based solely on solutions and ideas that work and can be replicated. Too often we focus on the problems and obstacles and not so much on the opportunities and successful practices. The 8 solutions being discussed today come from 7 countries and I believe are an exciting step towards an inclusive society.”

The Zero Conference is the Essl Foundation’s second long-term project (in addition to the annually awarded Essl Social Prize), The focus of the Zero Project website will be officially launched at the conference today, these include Good Practices and Good Policies identified in the report. As an interactive platform for persons with disabilities, NGOs, policymakers, research and business, the page will facilitate a variety of forms of participation.

The Zero Conference was organised at the initiative of the Essl Foundation in cooperation with the Hamburg-based foundation, the World Future Council, and its founder Jakob von Uexkull.

Then and Now Cartoon

Isn’t it amazing to see how much technology and the internet have really taken over our lives? Whilst spending time back in the UK over Christmas with my family I was shocked to see that my nephew (at that absolutely wonderfully adorable age of eleven….ahem) hardly ventured out of his room as he was either logged on to Facebook chatting to his friends or had a headset on shouting at some other computer game addict on the other side of the world whilst playing his Xbox Live.

We can do so much from the comfort of our own home now – from buying the latest music release online to making new friends in a different country. Has the magic of being part of a society gone? When I was an angelic eleven year old I was outside playing with my friends at every given chance and the thought of sitting in front of a computer screen in my bedroom for hours on end didn’t even occur to me. Isn’t this the part of a child’s life that teaches them the skills in order for them to interact with others in the future? Or will we need those skills in the future if our lives are to be run from a computer screen?

Don’t get me wrong, I use all of the new technological gadgets myself and absolutely love them. The ways in which some of them can help us is mind blowing but the pictures that were sent to me really got me thinking about how glad I am to have been born when I was. I strongly believe that the skills I have today are heavily due to the interaction I had with others at a younger age. I wonder how different to mine my nephew’s life will be when he is 28.

The venture was launched at the Heineken Cup game between London Irish and Cardiff Blues (Madejski Stadium, Reading) at the weekend. London Irish CEO, Andy Martin made a pitch-side presentation to Paralympics Ireland CEO, Liam Harbison and Beijing 800m Gold Medalist, Michael McKillop.

The partnership aims to raise awareness of Irish Paralympic Sport across London Irish’s supporter base and will involve the following types of initiatives:

• Match-day introductions to Irish Paralympic athletes
• Athlete profiles and interviews in matchday programmes and on the London Irish website
• Exchange of coaching, sports science and medical support
• Link ups between Irish Paralympic athletes and London Irish players

Commenting on the launch, London Irish CEO, Andy Martin said: “London Irish is immensely proud of and committed to its Irish roots and heritage and so we are delighted to be establishing this collaboration and supporting Paralympics Ireland. We hope to motivate supporters everywhere to get behind the athletes as they push for even greater honours. Both of our teams are highly successful in their respective fields and so we believe that there is much that we can learn from each other.”

Liam Harbison, Paralympics Ireland CEO, said “We were thrilled to announce this partnership in front of London Irish’s passionate support. The sharing of knowledge between two elite Irish sports organisations will greatly assist Ireland’s Paralympians push to excellence in 2012. We also hope our London-based supporters, like Irish people everywhere, will be inspired to join our journey to the Games.”

Beijing 2008 Paralympic Gold Medalist, Michael McKillop was delighted to be present at today’s announcement, commenting “It’s fantastic to have gotten such a great welcome in Reading. We are so proud to wear the green of Ireland and are grateful to London Irish for their incredible support. Their backing will help spur us to some exceptional performances this summer.”

Although the elements of the scheme are not changing, the revenue in the past has turned a “blind eye” to certain elements of the scheme, from January 1st 2012. Some of the proposed strict interpretations for individual’s members of the scheme include;

Disabled drivers can no longer participate in the scheme if they purchase vehicles in excess of 2000cc
Disabled drivers or passengers buying a second hand vehicle which has previously had its VRT reclaimed by a previous VRT/VAT relief scheme participant will now no longer be able to claim VRT back on this vehicle.

There is also a change to organisations that purchase accessible buses for use by people with disabilities, which include;
From the 1st January 2012 organisations that are primarily funded by the State, which includes the Irish Wheelchair Association, will no longer be eligible to claim:
- VAT and VRT exemptions when purchasing new buses.
- Exemption from road tax.
- Rebate in relation to duty on fuel.

If you would like to support the IWA’s lobbying efforts, please complete their online petition here http://www.iwa.ie/petition/#petition or for further information please contact the Revenue Commissioners at 1890 606 061 or the Irish Wheelchair Association at 045 893 094, 045 893 094 or email maats@iwa.ie