Vol. 491 No. 6
203 Mr. D. Carey asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of measures which his Department has enacted referring to people with disabilities; the date of their passing; the benefits accruing to people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12755/98]
In recent years, my Department has enacted the following measures relating to people with disabilities.
The Electoral Act, 1992; the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 1996, and the Electoral Act, 1997, contain provisions designed to facilitate voting by people with disabilities.
The Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1979; the Housing (Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs Grants) Regulations, 1993; and the Housing (New House Grants etc.) Regulations, 1990, as amended most recently by the Housing (New House Grants etc.) Regulations, 1990 (Amendment) Regulations, 1996, provide for the payment of grants in respect of accommodation for people with disabilities.
Under the Housing Act, 1988, local authorities are required, in making an assessment of housing needs, to have regard to the need for housing of certain categories of persons, including persons who are disabled or handicapped.
The Local Government (Planning and Development) Regulations, 1995 (S. I. No. 69 of 1995) amended Part 1 of the Second Schedule to the Local Government (Planning and Development) Regulations, 1994, to provide that planning permission is not required for the conversion of a house to a residential care facility accommodating up to six people with disabilities. Furthermore, where it is necessary to seek planning permission, no fee is payable to the planning authority for facilities, mainly non-profitmaking, for the disabled.
The Building Regulations, 1991, place a duty on persons providing or reconstructing buildings to cater for the needs of the disabled. Technical Guidance Document M-Access for Disabled Persons — provides technical guidance on how these requirements can be complied with. In December 1997, an updated building control package, comprising consolidated Building Regulations, 1997, and revised Technical Guidance Documents (1997 edition) was published.
Section 57(2) of the Roads Act, 1993, requires that road authorities and the National Roads Authority give special consideration, when drawing up toll schemes, to exempting from toll charges vehicles specially adapted for use by physically handicapped persons.
