Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Nov 1999

Vol. 509 No. 6

Written Answers. - Parking Regulations.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

404 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the powers available to local authorities to ensure the provision of parking spaces for disabled drivers within a reasonable distance of entrances to public buildings; if his Department has issued any specific recommendations or protocols in this regard; and the plans, if any, he has through legislative reform to strengthen local authority powers to cope with these matters. [21122/99]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Molloy)

The Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997, empower local authorities to provide parking bays for disabled persons and, in conjunction with the Irish Wheelchair Association and the Disabled Drivers Association, to issue parking permits allowing the use of such bays. Following the introduction of these provisions, my Department has requested local authorities to consider the provision of more disabled persons' parking bays.

Standards in relation to private car parking are a matter for individual planning authorities in the context of their development plans. I intend that general guidelines to be issued to planning authorities on development plans, following the enactment of the Planning and Development Bill 1999, will specifically address the question of parking facilities for the disabled. The matter has also been noted for consideration in the context of the amendment of the building regulations.