Vol. 479 No. 2
23 Kathleen Lynch asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the steps, if any, which are being taken by his Department to ensure that all arts venues funded by his Department are accessible to people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12653/97]
I am committed to policies that will ensure that all arts facilities funded by my Department are accessible to people with disabilities. Following consultation with my colleague, the Minister for Equality and Law Reform, I included as one of the basic conditions governing support for projects under the cultural development incentives scheme (CDIS) initiative the requirement that project promoters should ensure that all facilities within the building and grounds of the premises are fully accessible to people with disabilities.
The manner in which these facilities are made fully accessible is the subject of detailed discussions between officials from my Department and the project developers on a case by case basis.
In addition, the extent to which any group seeking support have engaged the challenge of access for disabled people in their overall development plans, has been an important consideration when deciding which of the many projects seeking support were eventually successful.
As the Deputy is aware, the CDIS initiative is spearheading the development of our arts infrastructure by its support of almost 40 projects throughout the country. Clearly its encouragement of a positive attitude to the challenge of access for people with disabilities will be of immediate benefit in the projects directly involved and it will also set the standards for future developments.
