The Disabled Drivers Association of Ireland (DDAI) is launching a new awareness campaign aimed at tackling what it describes as the ongoing misuse of accessible parking bays.
Through a video campaign, the association is hoping to highlight the impact illegal parking can have on people with disabilities.
Disability activist James Casserly and his mother, Councillor Vicki Casserly of South Dublin County Council, are featured in the association's awareness video campaign.
The DDAI, which is meeting in Galway this weekend, is also highlighting a text alert scheme, already active in Gorey, Co Wexford, and in Lucan and Rathfarnham in Dublin.
The scheme allows people to alert the traffic warden if someone is parked in one of the accessible bays without a permit or is misusing a permit.
The association said a survey it carried out last year found that the fear of verbal or physical abuse is the number one reason people avoid challenging those parked illegally.
The DDAI said it would like all local authorities across the country to adopt the scheme.
Disability campaigner Geraldine Lavelle said illegal parking can have a huge impact on people with disabilities.
"It is disheartening to arrive somewhere and have to turn around and go home because there are either no accessible bays because there's illegal parking or what is often worse, the space has been encroached upon, making it impossible for me to use.
"I would urge drivers not to invade any space in an accessible parking bay for this reason," she added.
"I fully support the association's campaign for a text alert scheme in every county as a safe deterrent to combat illegal parking," Ms Lavelle continued.
The DDAI is also calling for urgent reform of what it called the "archaic" and "flawed" disabled drivers' and passengers' tax relief scheme.
The DDAI, based in Co Mayo, is a charity for disabled drivers and passengers and it promotes independence and equal opportunity through mobility, education and training.
It administers the EU parking permit or blue badge on behalf of the Department of Transport.
