Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 October 2016
137. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government to ensure capital funding for social housing to provide 10% of housing units that are accessible for persons with mobility impairment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28828/16]
View answerAll newly constructed social housing complies with Part M of the Building Regulations and accordingly, with very minor exceptions, such housing units provide access for persons with mobility impairment. Accessibility features in this regard include level access and an entry level wc.
In individual cases, further adaptions to a social house might be necessary to make a dwelling fully usable for a person with particular mobility impairment, but as individual requirements can differ, and adaptions for one person might not be suitable for another, this is usually dealt with on a case by case basis following the recommendations of an Occupational Therapist. My Department provides funding support to local authorities for the adaptations of existing social housing to meet the needs of people with a disability. In addition, my Department also provides funding via the Capital Assistance Scheme for the development of new social housing units by AHBs for people with disabilities.
