Vol. 558 No. 6
169 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of local authorities which have adopted the Barcelona Declaration, The City and the Disabled, on access for people with disabilities; his views on the way in which it is being implemented; the timeframe involved; and the budget he expects to be provided with in this regard. [25297/02]
The Barcelona Declaration adopted at the European Congress "The City and the Disabled", held in Barcelona in March 1995, aims to promote better awareness of disabled persons, their rights, needs, potentials and contributions among municipal authorities and the general public. To date, a total of 54 local authorities in Ireland have adopted the Barcelona Declaration. A breakdown is provided in the following tables.
The promotion and adoption of the Barcelona Declaration is being supported by the National Disability Authority, NDA, operating under the aegis of my Department. The project is being undertaken over three years, commencing in 2001, and a total budget allocation of €387,000 is being provided. The Institute for Design and Disability, IDD, has been contracted by the NDA to carry out the project. Progress is monitored by the NDA's steering committee drawn from people with disabilities, county councillors, city and county managers and the Department of the Environment and Local Government.
