My Department's Development Management Guidelines for Planning Authorities, published in June 2007 and available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie, advise that potential applicants should be made aware at pre-application stage of the necessity to ensure that the design implications of accessibility are addressed in housing and commercial development. The Guidelines further state that planning authorities should also consider whether it is necessary to add specific conditions to ensure access for all in the approach to buildings from the main road, from the street or from disabled car parking.
The Guidelines also refer to the National Disability Authority's 2002 publication, Building for Everyone, which offers good practice on the accessibility issue and suggest that consultation with organisations representative of people with disabilities may also be of assistance.
The statutory Development Management Guidelines were issued under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 and planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála are obliged to have regard to them in the performance of their planning functions.