Vol. 489 No. 6
500 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the scope of authority of local authorities in ensuring access requirements for buildings and outdoor areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8750/98]
The building regulations, which have been in effect since 1992, place a duty on persons providing or reconstructing buildings to cater for the needs of disabled people. Otherwise, the regulations generally do not apply to existing buildings. Local building control authorities have a role in relation to monitoring and enforcement of compliance with the regulations. For the purposes of the building regulations, "buildings" include outdoor sport stadia. The provision of access facilities in respect of other existing buildings is a matter for the owners and occupiers of the building concerned.
Departments and local authorities have been asked on a number of occasions over the years to ensure that appropriate provision is made for access facilities for disabled people to all buildings under their control. As part of their response to Delivering Better Government, Departments have undertaken to prepare customer action plans to improve the quality of services they provide to the public; access to public offices for people with disabilities is one of the issues to be addressed in this context.
In the design and execution of road works and pedestrian facilities, my Department has requested authorities to pay particular attention to the needs of disabled people. This includes consideration of such matters as the safety and accessibility of footpaths, including the dishing of kerbs, and pedestrian and parking facilities. A scheme of grants is available to local authorities in the greater Dublin area to implement traffic management measures forming part of the overall DTI strategy. In the 1994-97 period, over £1.25 million was paid under this scheme for the provision of facilities for the mobility impaired.
