Eoin Ó Broin
Question:391. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of local authority houses accessed annually for accessibility for disabled persons. [36932/20]
View answerTuesday, 17 November 2020
Questions (391)
Written answers
Local authorities are responsible for the provision of social housing in their areas, and, as such, decide on the number and specific types of dwellings to provide in their developments, based on identified need. My Department oversees national social housing delivery at programme and scheme level and does not hold specific details in relation to the accessibility of individual dwellings for disabled persons.
Social housing is built to the design standards set out in the guidelines 'Quality Housing for Sustainable Communities' which are available at https://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/migrated-files/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/Housing/FileDownLoad%2C1979%2Cen.pdf. In preparing these Guidelines, particular account was taken of the objectives of government policy on sustainability, including access for people with disabilities and meeting the varied needs of occupants through their lifetime.
The design approach to social housing seeks to eliminate barriers to accessibility for all users - particularly older people, and those with mobility impairment or other disability. Where units are being designed for those with disabilities, the Guidelines refer to the National Disability Authority publication 'Building for Everyone: Inclusion, Access and Use'.
New buildings and extensions or material alterations to existing buildings must comply with the legal minimum performance standards set out in the Building Regulations 1997 - 2019. In this context, 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 that a building must achieve in respect of access.
Part M of the Building Regulations aims to foster an inclusive approach to the design and construction of the built environment. While the Part M requirements may be regarded as a statutory minimum level of provision, the accompanying technical guidance encourages building owners and designers to have regard to the design philosophy of universal design and to consider making additional provisions where practicable and appropriate.