Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 June 2016
203. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the obligations on the part of public houses that also serve food to provide wheelchair-accessible toilet facilities for customers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18270/16]
View answerWhile I have no role in relation to the regulation of public houses serving food, my Department is responsible for the Building Regulations 1997 to 2014, which provide for the health, safety and welfare of people in and around buildings. All new buildings must comply with the legally enforceable minimum performance standards set out in the Building Regulations.
In this regard, the Building Regulations (Part M Amendment) Regulations 2010, and the accompanying Technical Guidance Document M – Access and Use (2010), which came into effect on 1 January 2012, set out the minimum statutory requirements on accessibility and usability applicable to new buildings, and to existing buildings where new works, a material alteration or a material change of use is proposed.
In broad terms, the requirements of Part M aim to ensure that regardless of age, size or disability:
- new buildings other than dwellings (including multi-unit developments) are accessible and usable;
- extensions to existing buildings other than dwellings are, where practicable, accessible and useable;
- material alterations to existing buildings other than dwellings increase the accessibility and usability of existing buildings, where practicable;
- certain changes of use to existing buildings other than dwellings increase the accessibility and usability of existing buildings, where practicable; and
- new dwellings are visitable.
Part M of the Building Regulations aims to foster an inclusive approach to the design and construction of the built environment. Under the regulations, refreshment facilities, such as restaurants and bars, should be so designed and constructed that they can be accessed and used by both visitors and staff independently or with companions. While the number and location of sanitary facilities required in a building will be dictated by a number of factors including the nature of the building, the size of the building, the number of people who will use the building, gender ratio, patterns of use and the ease of access, under Part M, the objective is to provide independently accessible sanitary facilities that meet the needs of people with a wide range of abilities.
