Services for People with Disabilities

Wednesday, 22 November 2017

Ceisteanna (29)

Imelda Munster

Ceist:

29. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on working towards a policy of full accessibility on public transport including private companies that provide public transport services; his plans to put such a policy on a statutory footing; if a policy of an increased number of unmanned train stations and DART stations is to be introduced; his further views on the introduction of a policy whereby disabled passengers are not required to make travel arrangements up to 24 hours in advance; the steps he will take to provide specific funding in the areas of train station accessibility, accessibility on trains including staffing and staff training to support disabled passengers, lifts and ramps on bus coaches in rural areas and infrastructure at bus stops and shelters to ensure that all passengers with a disability have full accessibility on public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49602/17]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí ó Béal (12 píosaí cainte)

Deputy Imelda Munster

Is the Minister in favour of on working towards a policy of full accessibility on public transport including private companies that provide public transport services? Will he consider putting such a policy on a statutory footing? Is a policy of an increased number of unmanned train stations and DART stations is to be introduced? Does he favour the introduction of a policy whereby disabled passengers are not required to make travel arrangements up to 24 hours in advance of travel?

Deputy Shane Ross

I will try to keep to the time. The Acting Chair might interrupt me because it is quite difficult to keep an eye on the clock at the same time.

Acting Chairman (Deputy Declan Breathnach)

Yes, I will.

Deputy Shane Ross

My Department's high-level policy goal for accessible public transport is embodied in the concept of Transport Access for All. This policy is based on the provisions of the Disability Act 2005 and related Government strategies, in particular the National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021, NDIS, launched by Minister of State with responsibility for disability, Deputy Finian McGrath, in July last. The NDIS includes a number of transport-related actions, for which my Department, the National Transport Authority, NTA, and-or passenger transport operators have lead responsibility for implementing.

As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy on and overall funding of public transport. The four-year capital envelope for public transport announced in budget 2018 includes a multi-annual allocation of almost €28 million for the accessibility retrofit programme for the period 2018 to 2021. This funding is a trebling of the previous allocation for accessibility under the capital plan. It relates to accessibility upgrades for existing older infrastructure and is additional to the investment in new infrastructure which, as a matter of course, is now designed to facilitate accessibility. The additional funding will facilitate the continued roll-out of the programmes to install accessible bus stops, upgrade train stations to make them accessible to wheelchair users and provide grant support for the introduction of more wheelchair accessible vehicles into the taxi fleet.

The NTA, which has functional responsibility for promoting the development of an integrated accessible public transport network, and passenger transport operators are working to progress the transport actions under the NDIS. These actions are aimed at addressing the issues that the Deputy has raised.

Irish Rail hopes to commence a pilot project on the DART early in the new year aimed at reducing the period of advance notice for disabled passengers from 24 to four hours by guaranteeing staffing across grouped stations and ensuring flexibility to enable staff to move between stations to provide assistance. The NTA has also commenced a tender competition for medium-distance bus/coach-type vehicles which would allow unbooked wheelchairs to board with normal ramp access on Bus Éireann PSO services.

Deputy Imelda Munster

The Minister did not say whether he would favour putting a policy of full accessibility on a statutory footing. Of 144 Iarnród Éireann stations, 34 are unmanned and there are plans to increase that number. While I got a response to a parliamentary question on the matter yesterday, the company had stated it would review its staffing arrangements. There is no indication in its response and certainly none in the Minister's on the additional supports that will be made available for people with disabilities as a result of the change. There are no specifics; it is very vague. Does the Minister have or has he requested details on specific commitments so that people, particularly wheelchair users are not left sitting on platforms?

Deputy Shane Ross

It is disingenuous for Deputy Munster to suggest we do not have commitment in this area. I respect that she has a commitment to it and she should acknowledge that we have allocated a greatly increased amount to disabilities in the plan. Trebling the amount is no mean achievement and shows no lack of commitment. It would be helpful if the Deputy acknowledged that. That money is very necessary. I, as Minister, am completely and utterly committed to this area.

The issue of unstaffed stations is a matter for the NTA and the company. If we find that the unstaffed stations are having a detrimental effect on people with disabilities, we should look at it very seriously. As the Deputy knows, plans are in place for the Iarnród Éireann pilot scheme to reduce the notice hours from 24 to four.

Deputy Imelda Munster

I ask the Minister a second time if he is in favour of a policy to put full accessibility on a statutory footing? I had asked if the Minister favoured a transport service with 100% accessibility for disabled passengers. When I talk about accessibility, I am not talking about something that is technically accessible on paper, but rather something that is actually accessible in a practical way. Does the Minister believe the current 24-hour notification is acceptable? I maintain that it is totally unacceptable.

Will the Minister confirm if coaches are required to comply with disability access regulations? Many disability groups are of the opinion that they are not, yet many private companies have been awarded State contracts. Will the Minister clarify those issues?

Deputy Shane Ross

To answer to the Deputy's first question about the 24-hour notification, I believe that is unacceptable. I am delighted the NTA has approved a pilot project and that Iarnród Éireann is doing that. I hope it works and that it is followed by all the other companies. A 24-hour notification period is far too long. I want to see a transport system which treats and facilitates disabled people in exactly the same way that it treats people who are not disabled. That is the ambition we should be seeking to achieve. We do not currently have the infrastructure or the buses but we are moving in that direction. As the Deputy will probably know, the NTA currently has plans to purchase new buses, smaller to medium-sized single decker buses, which will facilitate people in wheelchairs whereby they will no longer have to register or queue in advance in that way. They will be available and accessible at the bus stops.