Vol. 511 No. 6
157 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the procedure, if any, she has put in place for proofing investment decisions in relation to suitability of the projects to accommodate persons with disability; and if she will give details of these procedures, particularly in relation to the purchase of buses, train carriages and new ships, listing any distinction made between investment by the public and private sectors. [24960/99]
The recently announced national development plan includes significant provisions in relation to the accessibility of public transport, including the establishment of a public transport accessibility committee which will advise on the accessibility aspects of existing and proposed public transport infrastructure, facilities and services. The committee will also make recommendations for prioritised cost effective measures to address these issues. The committee will be chaired by my Department and will include representatives of the CIE operating companies, the proposed National Disability Authority and organisations representing mobility impaired and disabled people.
It is the established policy of Iarnród Éireann that all new trains and stations, together with major refurbishment projects at existing stations, should take account of the needs of mobility impaired customers. From 2000, all new buses purchased by Dublin Bus will be low floor and fully accessible and it is Bus Éireann's intention to purchase low floor accessible large capacity single deck buses when replacing its urban fleet.
The Government recently decided that a review of the 1932 Road Transport Act should be undertaken with a view to the introduction of competition in Dublin public bus transport services. The review is expected to be completed in February 2000 and will, of course, take account of accessibility issues.
Aer Lingus operate the following procedures to accommodate persons with disabilities: aircraft specifications require that a certain number of seats are accessible for wheelchair passengers, provision is made for the carriage of wheelchairs, toilets on long range aircraft are wheelchair accessible, special wheelchairs are made available to conform with aisle widths on aeroplanes and passengers unable to walk are transferred to aircraft by paramedics.
With regard to Aer Rianta, it is the company's policy to ensure that the design and provision of facilities at the three State airports are user friendly and accessible to all, including persons with disabilities.
The purchase of ships is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources.
