Written Answers. - European Year of the Disabled.
Jack Wall
Ceist:
408
Mr. Wall
asked the
Minister for the Environment and Local Government
if he has satisfied himself with the efforts of the local authorities to ensure easy access for disabled persons to local authority buildings, Government Departments, schools and so on, in view of the fact that 2003 is the European Year of the Disabled; the plans his Department has to ensure access is reasonable and safe to such buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[25373/02]
Under part M of the national building regulations, persons constructing new buildings or extending existing buildings to which the public have access, on or after 1 June 1992, are obliged to provide access for people with disabilities.
The provision of disabled access facilities to other existing buildings is a matter for the owners and occupiers of the buildings concerned. Departments and local authorities have been requested by my Department, on a number of occasions, to ensure that appropriate provision is made for access facilities for people with disabilities to all buildings under their control. Recognising that 2003 will be the European Year of the Disabled, I am arranging for my Department to renew this request early in the new year.
Amendments to part M came into effect on 1 January 2001 and require all new dwellings to be visitable by people with disabilities. The amended regulations also place a more stringent requirement regarding disabled access on new or extended non-residential buildings, including places of employment and leisure, hotels and cinemas. Such access will now have to be "adequate", not just "reasonable". Compliance with the building regulations is primarily a matter for the owners, designers and builders of the buildings involved. My Department has published updated Technical Guidance Document M (2000 edition) on how to comply with the requirements of the amended part M. A copy of this publication has been placed in the Oireachtas Library.
Local building control authorities are responsible for monitoring and enforcement of compliance with the regulations. The authorities are empowered to inspect public buildings, issue enforcement notices for non-compliance with the regulations and initiate court proceedings. The national enforcement target is that authorities would physically inspect at least 12% to 15% of developments in their functional areas.
Since 1997, my Department has urged local authorities to more actively enforce all parts of the building regulations, including part M. In particular, Circular Letters BC 7/99 of 17 June 1999, and BC 7/2002 of 12 February 2002, specifically called for stricter enforcement of part M. The appointment of building control officers has been sanctioned where necessary and building control fees were increased to fund stricter local enforcement. At present, more than 90% of authorities are carrying out inspections; over 80% of authorities have achieved the target level of inspection, 12%-15% of developments; and the remaining authorities have been requested to achieve the agreed target.
