Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 November 2020
367. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will introduce a scheme to incentivise businesses to provide an accessible toilet for use by the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36368/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraNew buildings and extensions or material alterations to existing buildings must comply with the legal minimum performance standards set out in the Building Regulations 1997 - 2019. In this context, the Building Regulations (Part M Amendment) Regulations 2010, and the accompanying Technical Guidance Document M – Access and Use (2010), which came into effect on 1 January 2012, set out the minimum statutory requirements that a building must achieve in respect of access.
The requirements of Part M aim to ensure that regardless of age, size or disability:
- new buildings other than dwellings are accessible and usable;
- extensions to existing buildings other than dwellings are, where practicable, accessible and useable;
- material alterations to existing buildings other than dwellings increase the accessibility and usability of existing buildings, where practicable;
- certain changes of use to existing buildings other than dwellings increase the accessibility and usability of existing buildings where practicable; and
- new dwellings are visitable.
The objective in the case of provision of sanitary facilities is to provide independently accessible facilities that meet the needs of people with a wide range of abilities. Technical Guidance Document M gives detailed guidance on both the provision and the design of sanitary facilities.
The provision of accessible sanitary facilities are required where sanitary facilities are provided in a building, whether this is for customers, visitors, or staff working in the building. Part M does not create a requirement for the provision of sanitary facilities in a building, or for different user groups e.g. for visitors, where provision has only been made for staff.
Part M of the Building Regulations aims to foster an inclusive approach to the design and construction of the built environment. While the Part M requirements may be regarded as a statutory minimum level of provision, the accompanying technical guidance encourages building owners and designers to have regard to the design philosophy of universal design and to consider making additional provisions where practicable and appropriate.
Guidance on how to design, build and manage buildings and spaces so that they can be readily accessed and used by everyone, regardless of age, size, ability or disability is available in 'Building for Everyone, A Universal Design Approach', a National Disability Authority (NDA) publication, which may be accessed at www.nda.ie.
While the latest iteration of Part M of the Building Regulations initially coincided with the general downturn in economic and construction activity, its positive effects on access and use in the built environment can now be seen more widely.
My Department has no role in the provision of incentive schemes for businesses to provide an accessible toilet for use by the public, however, my Department does provide funding to local authorities in respect of the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, to assist eligible people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs.
The Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability assists people with a disability to have necessary adaptations, repairs or improvement works carried out in order to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. Grants of up to €30,000 are available for works including the provision of access ramps, stair lifts, accessible toilet and shower facilities, wheelchair access and extensions.
Information on Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability is available on my Department’s website at:
https://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/grantsfinancial-assistance/people-disability/housing-grants-people-disability
