Holly Cairns
Question:430. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education the progress made towards action 40 of the National Disability and Inclusion Strategy (2017-2021). [38037/21]
View answerTuesday, 13 July 2021
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Written answers
Action 40 of the National Disability and Inclusion Strategy provides that my Department will amend its Technical Guidance Documents for school and educational buildings to ensure universal design principles and guidelines are fully considered in all designs for new building and, where possible, in the retrofit of existing buildings.
The Department is committed to developing inclusive school settings based on principles of universal design. This is embedded in all technical guidance documents. TGD 020 – General Design Guidelines for Schools, 1st edition 2007, revised 2017, includes guidance on the principles of Universal Access as part of a whole school design approach. Most recently updated technical guidance includes SDG-02-03 Post Primary School Design Guide, SDG-02-04 Specialist Accommodation for Pupils with Special Educational Needs and SDG-02-06 Sanitary Facilities all of which were published in April 2021.
The Department of Education (DoE) has an ongoing policy of research and review of its suite of Technical Guidance Documents and School Design Guides (TGDs / SDGs). Updates are based on amendments to national Building Regulations, lessons learnt from new school building projects, post occupancy feedback from schools and design teams, international best practice and continual research and design.
Projects that provide for new accommodation in school buildings must comply with this guidance and receive a statutory application for a Disability Access Certificate (DAC) from the relevant Building Control Authority. School authorities can also apply to the Department for funding for capital improvement works in their schools. These include works related to the provision of facilities for pupils with Special Educational Needs, such as classrooms, resource rooms, multi-sensory areas, universal toileting, external play etc. These funding streams have been in operation for a number of years.
My Department will ensure school building designs continue to consider the provisions of Universal Design and accessibility generally through its implementation of the Technical Guidance Documents as part of its ongoing annual capital building programme for both new and existing school buildings.