The Barcelona Declaration Project

Facilitating Local Authorities in creating a more inclusive society

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Team Profiles

Michal Ozmin, MA Dip. Des. Tech., MIDI, FRSA, MIDD

Barcelona Declaration Project Leader

Michal was educated at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, Faculty of Interior Architecture and the Institute of Science and Technology, University of Manchester.

Michal has published several research papers on industrial design and architecture related subjects. He is co-author of Níl Aon Tinteán, which received the Best Irish Book of the Year Award in 1994.

Michal has worked in the fields of architecture, set-design, interior design and industrial design and management. From 1989 to 1993 he was the Executive Chairman of Hampshire Consortium for Art, Design and Architecture. He is a member of professional bodies including the Royal Academy of Arts, An Taisce, and The Polish Association of Writers, Artists and Composers. He was a founder member of the Institute of Designers in Ireland. Michal is also Chairman of the Board of the Institute for Design and Disability.
He has held a number of prestigious academic posts over the last 26 years. From 1975 to 1985 he was Professor of Design, and Head of Faculty, in the National College of Art and Design in Dublin. From 1986 to 1989, he was Dean of Faculty of Art and Design at Southampton Institute. From 1989 to 1993, he was Dean of External Affairs. In this capacity he was responsible for EU educational programmes such as ERASMUS, TEMPUS and FAHRE. In 1993 he joined the Tiernan Design School as a Director of Academic Affairs. After the Tiernan Design School became integrated with Griffith College Dublin, Michal joined the Faculty of Design. In 2000, he became the Course Director of the Diploma in Interior Architecture in the Faculty of Design.

Cearbhall O Meadhra, B Arch, FRIAI, MICS
Barcelona Declaration Project Policy Leader

Cearbhall O Meadhra is actively involved in the disability sector. Among his many commitments he is the current president of the Institute for Design and Disability (IDD) and chairman of the Bray Centre for Independent Living.

He was nominated by the Whitaker selection committee to sit on the Irish Human Rights Commission and has been appointed by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to the Equality Authority.

He was a director of the Disability Federation of Ireland, and executive member of CNEASTA (the National Organisation for Training, Development and Employment of people with disabilities). He was a recent chairman of the Wicklow Network of People with Disabilities in Ireland (PwDI) and is a former chairman and council member of the Forum of People with Disabilities.

Cearbhall is blind and is a founder member of the Visually Impaired Computer Society (VICS). In his professional life he heads up the Bank of Ireland consultancy in Assistive Technology for people with disabilities. This role involves advising other major Irish companies such as An Bord Telecom, the Electricity Supply board, Allied Irish Bank, Aer Rianta and Aer Lingus on the provision of services to people with disabilities.

He is currently working on secondment to the Institute for Design and Disability to promote the adoption of the Barcelona Declaration by all Local Authorities in Ireland. He was a consultant to UCD, Dublin City and Galway universities. Steering groups include Wicklow Community Platform, ADAPT NI "Artistic Borders”, and he serves on the access committee of the Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland (RIAI).

He is a qualified architect and a fellow of the RIAI.

Cearbhall is also a professional musician and has much experience in archaeology and historic architecture.

Ken Ewart, BSc, Dip EIA mgt, MCIOB, MaPS, MAPM
Barcelona Declaration Project Training Programme Leader

Ken is a founder member of, and Technical Advisor to, the Centre for Universal Accessibility at the University of Ulster. He is a Chartered Builder with experience in Architectural Technology and Civil and Mechanical Engineering. For ten years until 1997 he was Senior Access Officer at Disability Action and is presently Chairman of ADAPT NI, an organisation devoted to making the Arts and Arts venues accessible to people with varying degrees of ability.

His consultancy practice, Ken Ewart & Associates, undertakes Accessibility Auditing, Environmental Assessment, Health & Safety and Planning Supervision Services on construction and property development projects throughout Ireland. Ken is a visiting lecturer at Queen's University Belfast and The University of Ulster.

Ken Tiernan, Dip Arch, Dip IntD, Dip EIAMgt
Barcelona Declaration Training Programme Facilitator

Ken commenced private practice as Chartered Architect and Interior Designer and opened up a Childcare Nursery in Rathmines, Dublin 6.. In 1986 he founded Tiernan Design School to provide third level programmes in Interior Architecture and Interior Decoration which is now Department of Design in Griffith College, Dublin with Diploma and Degree approved status according to HETAC. In 1990, he received the Jim Culliton Award for his contribution to Interior Design in Design Education in Ireland, by the Incorporated Association of Architects and Surveyors.

In 2000, Ken started Tiernan’s Consultancy to provide high quality childcare service to public and private companies. The Practice is included in the register of External Building Specialist by A.D.M Ltd. In 2002, Ken was Architect and Interior Designer on the Consultancy Team to prepare guidelines for Best Practice in the Design of Childcare Facilities – ‘We like this place’ on behalf or NCEA and ADM Ltd.