Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Thursday, 4 July 2019
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government
Housing for People with a Disability: Discussion
Pat Casey (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source
One would listen to Miriam anyway, that is for sure. Her email handle is "murphyinmotion".
I also recall my mother's experience in having to retrofit her 1960s house. There is no point denying that the combination of living with and working closely with someone with a disability changes one's mindset and how one thinks, because it does. Ms Murphy had a huge role to play when she sat on the board of Wicklow County Tourism. She brought a disabled perspective to the whole tourism industry in Wicklow and it is now feeding down into our tourism plan, which considers people with disabilities. My mother is very proud of the home she lives in. She now has to negotiate a wheelchair through narrow doors which is causing the paint to come off. I know this is upsetting her but she will not show it. Those are practical things and when one lives through them, it makes a difference in how one thinks. I want to put that on record because people who do not live with these things do not routinely think of them.
As the owner of an old hotel built in the 1820s, which I have extended, I know the difference between trying to retrofit something and designing with disability in mind.
One accessible toilet could be put in the 1800s building or ten could put in for the same cost when designing with a new build in mind. There was a figure of approximately €4,500 to try to put into the design of a house some features that would make it more livable for a person with a disability. What percentage of our housing stock has had to be adapted overall? Would the €4,500 be an extra burden or would it amount to a long-term saving in the context of the housing stock? There are no two ways about it because designing a new build with these features makes the process much easier and cheaper, ultimately delivering a better result.
Mr. Cunningham stated that we should design 7% of our housing stock for people with disabilities and Ms Barron indicated that nearly 13% of people on lower incomes or the social housing list have such needs. The private sector proportion is 8%. Is the 7% figure too low? Should we aim for a higher percentage?
Comments
Miriam Murphy
Posted on 19 Jul 2019 4:34 pm (Report this comment)
Thank you Pat for your kind words in this interesting debate . I Know people do get fed listening always about "ACCESSIBILITY" for people with disability but we must realise ACCESS is for all, the elderly - which as we know have a huge importance in tourism, filling our hotels all year around with tours, day trips, etc.
Families with young children with disabilities, new parents with buggies also need access.
but the most important issues in any premises is accessible toilets that are large enough. Every persons's needs are different. But we need a high standard regarding toilets in hotels, theaters, music venues, every where that the "Normal" person goes. We do have a life - we too have friends that we socialise with in towns and cities . And always planning a trip does not work out because the information from a person on a telephone is not what you get when you arrive which is very upsetting and annoying and leaves the whole outing a bad experience. hence not returning and giving out bad publicity regarding the premises.
On many occasions, I have been to places where accessibility in to is brilliant with access ramp, but inside the toilets are not, or restaurant has steps into it and no ramp, or a split level bar with no access.
I feel every strongly that Board FAILTE AND Tourism Ireland - or any group who are in the tourism trade need to educate themselves in many different ways but the simple question is "ASK SOMEONE FOR ADVICE, SOMEONE WITH A DISABILITY OR A NATIONAL DISABILITY GROUP -
Sorry the comments so long ....
Miriam Murphy
Posted on 19 Jul 2019 4:32 pm (Report this comment)
Thank you Pat for your kind words in this interesting debate . I Know people do get fed listening always about "ACCESSIBILITY" for people with disability but we must realise ACCESS is for all, the elderly - which as we know have a huge importance in tourism, filling our hotels all year around with tours, day trips, etc.
Families with young children with disabilities, new parents with buggies also need access.
but the most important issues in any premises is accessible toilets that are large enough. Every persons's needs are different. But we need a high standard regarding toilets in hotels, theaters, music venues, every where that the "Normal" person goes. We do have a life - we too have friends that we socialise with in towns and cities . And always planning a trip does not work out because the information from a person on a telephone is not what you get when you arrive which is very upsetting and annoying and leaves the whole outing a bad experience. hence not returning and giving out bad publicity regarding the premises.
On many occasions, I have been to places where accessibility in to is brilliant with access ramp, but inside the toilets are not, or restaurant has steps into it and no ramp, or a split level bar with no access.
I feel every strongly that Board FAILTE AND Tourism Ireland - or any group who are in the tourism trade need to educate themselves in many different ways but the simple question is "ASK SOMEONE FOR ADVICE, SOMEONE WITH A DISABILITY OR A NATIONAL DISABILITY GROUP -
Sorry the comments so long ....