Vol. 495 No. 1
331 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he has satisfied himself that new buildings adequately take into account at design stage the needs of persons with a disability and the opportunity to deliver technology based solutions for disabled persons; and if he will consider requiring all local authorities to consult regularly with persons with a disability in their area to ensure that this is properly achieved. [19655/98]
The building regulations place a duty on persons providing public buildings on or after 1 June 1992 — either by way of new construction, extension, or works in connection with material alterations — to cater for the needs of disabled people. The regulations also apply to the common areas of apartment blocks. Technical guidance document M issued by my Department provides guidance on how to comply with the requirements in relation to access to relevant buildings and their facilities. This document was framed in consultation with the statutory Building Regulations Advisory Body which, at the time, included an officer of the National Rehabilitation Board.
Under the building control system, primary responsibility for compliance rests with the owners, designers and builders. Local building control authorities have a role in monitoring and enforcing compliance which they may carry out by random inspections and investigations of any compliants about non-compliance.
A list of local authority building control contract officers was distributed by my colleague Deputy Mary Wallace, Minister of State, to various organisations representing disabled persons. My Department is currently preparing an updated list of contact officers.
I do not think that it would be appropriate to require local building control authorities to formally consult third parties about the exercise of their statutory functions under the Building Control Act in individual cases. However, it is always open to interested disabled persons and relevant organisations to make submissions and recommendations to the authorities on the implementation of the 1990 Act and to draw the authorities attention to buildings which do not comply with the regulations.
