I propose to take Questions Nos. 539 to 541, inclusive, together.
In the first instance, the Deputy may wish to note the nature of the bodies referenced in his question. The Institute of Public Administration (IPA) and the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) are companies limited by guarantee who are in receipt of grant funding from my Department. The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) is a cross-border North South Implementation Body, established on foot of the Good Friday Agreement and jointly sponsored by my Department and the Department of Finance in Northern Ireland. The SEUPB operates under the policy direction of the North South Ministerial Council, and is headquartered in Belfast, with smaller offices in Omagh and Monaghan.
I am advised that the position of these bodies in respect of the information requested by the Deputy is as set out in the table below.
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Body
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Code of Practice currently in operation
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Trained Access Officer available
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Access Team available
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Evacuation Chair available and trained staff available for use
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IPA
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The IPA undertook an accessibility audit of its infrastructure and services in 2017 which was informed by this code and the NDA. The IPA continues to implement the audit recommendations and its obligations under the NDA inform all IPA infrastructural and refurbishment strategic and operational plans.
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No
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No
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Yes
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ESRI
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As a company limited by guarantee, the provisions of the Code do not directly apply to the Institute. However, the Institute complies with all relevant Health and Safety legislation, is committed to achieving the highest possible standards of accessibility, and will consider the provisions of the Code in tandem with future reviews of accessibility.
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No
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No
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The ESRI reviews its fire safety and evacuation procedures regularly including requirements around safe access/egress. ESRI assessments to date have not identified the need for an evacuation chair in the ESRI building. Any future recommendation for such a chair will be implemented.
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SEUPB
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Yes
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The role of access officer falls to the Human Resources team (internal focus), with the assistance of the Communications team (external focus).
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The role of ‘access team’ within the Special EU Programmes Body falls to the Human Resources team (internal focus), with the assistance of the Communications team (external focus).
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The Special EU Programmes Body does not currently have an evacuation chair for mobility impaired persons at any of its three office sites, although there are plans to source one for the Belfast site, and for the other sites should the requirement arise to accommodate mobility impaired employees. However, the Belfast office of the Body is located in a shared occupancy building and there is an accessible evacuation chair for utilisation by the Body in an emergency. There are also refuge points at all three sites where mobility impaired persons can wait for assistance from emergency services. The responsibility for developing, implementing and monitoring the Health and Safety Policy (including fire safety) for the Body across all three Special EU Programmes Body sites falls to the Human Resources Manager. Fire risk assessments for all three sites have been carried out and Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans are in place for any disabled employees who require one, or anyone with mobility issues.
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