ID Cards for visually impaired persons

I am a visually impaired person and registered blind. On a number of occasions when I have been looking for assistance, from officials in Government offices it has been stated to me that you do not look like a blind person. I explain to them that I have a vision problem and I am unable to fill up a form and that I would have to get some one, to fill it up. When I go shopping for clothes, I can see the clothes, but I am unable to read the price or the size of the garment. When I look for assistance it has been said to me that you do not look like a person, who has a vision problem.

On another occasion it has been said to me when I looked for assistance crossing the road to get to an Insurance office in Ballsbridge, the person who I looked for assistance from, said that you do not look like a person who needs assistance to cross the road and walked off.

It has been said to me by younger visually impaired persons that it would be of assistance to them, when going to discos or nights clubs, to produce an ID card to the person on the door, to show the person that they had a vision problem, and if they were refused permission at the door they would have better grounds for a complaint.

What I had in mind was a small card like the Dublin Bus Pass for the blind and visually impaired, stating that the holder of the card is visually impaired, accompanied by a passport size photograph of the person on the Identification Card and signed by the National Council for the Blind or the National League for the blind of Ireland

A blind person, who uses a guide dog or a long white cane, would not require an Identification Card as it is obvious to every one when they look for assistance that they are blind. The vast majority of registered blind persons are visually impaired, because they have some vision and many of them are able to make their way around shops, but may require some assistance.