Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 23 Mar 2000

Vol. 516 No. 5

Written Answers. - Services for People with Disabilities.

Theresa Ahearn

Ceist:

172 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the progress, if any, made on accessibility in the public transport system for people with a disability; the plans, if any, she has for improvements in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8537/00]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke)

It is my policy that all transport operators, and in particular State transport companies, should provide the highest possible degree of accessibility within the overall resources available to them.

As already announced in the National Development Plan 2000-2006 all new and upgraded rail and bus stations financed under the plan will be accessible to mobility impaired and disabled people, all light rail vehicles and suburban railcars financed under the plan will also be accessible to mobility impaired and disabled people, and all buses purchased by CIE from 2000 for use on urban services will be low floor.

All DART carriages are already accessible, as are the diesel railcars used on the suburban services. Iarnród Éireann will take delivery of a further 26 DART carriages and 20 diesel railcars this year which will also be accessible. Wheelchair space is provided in the dining car areas of other passenger trains and, where advance notice of group travel is received, additional wheelchair space can be created.

Bus Átha Cliath has approximately 30 low floor accessible buses currently in operation with a further 225 such buses on order for delivery this year.

Bus Éireann currently has 44 low floor accessible buses in operation and a further 66 such buses are on order for delivery later this year. The company is continuing to monitor developments in relation to coach design and manufacture which would improve Bus Éireann's capacity to meet the needs of people with mobility impairments.

Among other things, the national development plan provides for the establishment of a public transport accessibility committee to advise me in relation to the accessibility of public transport for mobility impaired and disabled people. Included in the plan is a special provision of £10 million to part-finance accessibility improvements to existing public transport infrastructure and facilities. The committee will advise me with regard to particular projects which could be funded from this allocation.