Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 May 2000

Vol. 519 No. 2

Written Answers. - Public Transport.

John Gormley

Question:

65 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if her attention has been drawn to the fact that a large percentage of disabled people cannot access public transport due to the fact the public transport system is not wheelchair accessible. [8697/00]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke)

I am aware of the difficulties faced by disabled and other mobility impaired people in using public transport. It is my policy that all transport operators, and in particular State transport companies, should provide the highest possible degree of accessibility within the overall resources available to them.

As already announced in the National Development Plan 2000-2006, all new and upgraded rail and bus stations financed under the plan will be accessible to mobility impaired and disabled people; all light rail vehicles and suburban railcars financed under the plan will also be accessible to mobility impaired and disabled people; all buses purchased by CIE from 2000 for use on urban services will be low floor.

All DART carriages are already accessible, as are the diesel railcars used on the suburban services. Iarnród Éireann will take delivery of a further 26 DART carriages and 20 diesel railcars this year which will also be accessible. Wheelchair space is provided in the dining car areas of other passenger trains and, where advance notice of group travel is received, additional wheelchair space can be created.

Bus Átha Cliath has approximately 30 low floor accessible buses currently in operation with a further 225 such buses on order for delivery this year.

Bus Éireann currently has 44 low floor accessible buses in operation and a further 66 such buses are on order for delivery later this year. The company is continuing to monitor developments in relation to coach design and manufacture which would improve Bus Éireann's capacity to meet the needs of people with mobility impairments.

Among other things, the national development plan provides for the establishment of a public transport accessibility committee to advise me in relation to the accessibility of public transport for mobility impaired and disabled people. Included in the plan is a special provision of £10 million to part-finance accessibility improvements to existing public transport infrastructure and facilities.

The committee will be comprised of representatives of organisations representing the disabled and mobility impaired and the CIE operating subsidiaries. I have invited a number of bodies to nominate members to the committee, which will be established shortly. It will advise me on public transport accessibility in general and on particular projects which could be funded from the special £10 million allocation.