Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 April 2022
87. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the steps being taken by the OPW to ensure that buildings it has responsibility for are fully accessible for people with disabilities, including having suitable toilet and changing places facilities. [21418/22]
View answerThe Office of Public Works endeavour to integrate best practice into every aspect of our building compliance requirements. We aim to redefine and encompass techniques, where the best solutions for the buildings within their specific context are identified. This approach benefits all of society and re-frames and prioritises the work of OPW architects, engineers, surveyors, district inspectors, clerks of works and other stakeholders working directly within the Office of Public Works or acting as agents on our behalf. This in turn enhances the experiences of building users. It ensures Accessibility and Universal Design principles frame and guide all aspects of the built environment to which the public have the right to access. This is enabled through the application of Codes of Practice, Technical Guidance Documents and Building Regulations.
The OPW responsible for a portfolio of both modern and historical buildings, monuments, parks and sites. Each property has its own challenges, in terms of optimising accessibility. Some of the projects completed in recent years have been a particular success, where innovative solutions have been designed and brought to fruition, often in challenging circumstances. Often solutions may be applicable across other similar building types in the portfolio.
1. Accessibility Audits Update:
A reframed accessibility audit review of all OPW buildings across the State is to be carried out. The original programme was adversely disrupted by the pandemic over the last two years, whereby site visits and reports, critical to the completion of our inspections, were mostly postponed, cancelled or delayed. Over 1,900 buildings overall in the category have been identified to be audited. Of these, following initial desk-top surveys, where collating documentary data relating to each building is co-ordinated, approximately 29% of buildings may be excluded i.e. if they are vacant properties, sites or buildings in the process of being released. When our finalised schedule of audits is identified, redefined and subsequently completed, we will be in a position to confirm and reprioritise a rejuvenated programme of upgrading works, to happen throughout the State.
Our technical teams are focusing on the most urgent and essential works across the entire estate at this time. Even with progress to date, we fully appreciate that must further strive to create a built environment and public spaces, best suited and equipped to ensure that all persons are treated with dignity and consideration. Since the publication of the I.S. EN 17161:2019 standard on Design for All in 2019, we have looked forward to moving towards wider application of the Universal Design principles in our buildings and sites. This will shortly benefit from the suite of amendments under consideration to Technical Guidance Document Part M for the provision of Changing Places Facilities in specific settings. (Proposed legislation: Building Regulations (Part M Amendment) Regulations 2022).
2. Changing Places Facilities Update:
In relation to the provision of Changing Places Facilities for the public, the following is the current position: In December 2020, in support of Government policy on advancing the rights and inclusion of people with disabilities, Minister for Housing Local Government and Heritage established a Working Group to examine the provision of a Changing Places facility in certain buildings. The Working Group has now recommended the types and sizes of buildings where this facility should be required, along with the technical requirements (equipment, room size and layout) of a Changing Places toilet.
The public consultation was launched on the 9th February 2022, which seeks submissions, observations and comments on a proposed amendment to the Building Regulations and associated Technical Guidance Document M – Access and Use to make provision for a Changing Places toilet in certain buildings.
To assist in this process, the following documents are available on the Department's website: www.gov.ie/en/consultation/247d5-public-consultation-on-the-review-of-building-regulations-part-m-access-and-use-to-make-provision-for-a-changing-places-toilet-in-certain-buildings/
- Draft Building Regulations (Part M Amendment) Regulations 2022
- Draft Technical Guidance Document M – Access and Use 2022
- A Preliminary Regulatory Impact Analysis
- An easy read consultation document
- A template for submissions
Technical staff within the Office of Public Works, together with third party stakeholders and consultants, are currently co-ordinating a submission to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, on the proposed amendment, for the 12th May 2022 deadline.
An appraisal of seven of the most popular OPW run heritage sites in the State [Farmleigh House, Dublin Castle, Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Clonmacnoise, Brú na Boinne, Glendalough and Doneraile Court] was carried out to determine their suitability for the provision of a Changing Place facility. We anticipate providing facilities at four or more of these sites with Doneraile Court likely to be the first opened for use.
