Dr. Aideen Hartney:

I appreciate that. I thank Deputy Costello for making the universal design point for me. It is crucial. When we talk about access to courthouses, it is easy to think only about wheelchair access and the small number of people who that might affect. However, if a universal design approach is taken, it benefits all users of the premises. They can be people with families and buggies or members of the older community. A universal design approach will also help to meet some of the sustainable development goals, which is important. That also links in with the location of the courthouse because a city centre or town centre location also facilitates access to public transport. That is also very important not only for users with disabilities but all potential users. I wholeheartedly agree with the point Deputy Costello made. In order to achieve equal treatment for all, sometimes a little bit extra needs to be done for some groups. We would very much advise that.

I was going to make a point on data because somebody asked how many people with disabilities or mental health difficulties are accessing the various services. Data is a huge challenge.

The information we have is about 20 years old at this stage. It points to a higher prevalence of people with disabilities or mental health difficulties on the justice journey. I counsel everybody who has responsibilities in this area to gather information disaggregated according to disability so we can really get a sense of what is occurring.

It is not just about the premises; it is also about how information is provided. It is very much welcome in plain English. We make good guidance available on customer engagement to meet the needs of all persons. Increasingly, online services need to be as accessible as possible. There is now a new EU directive on the accessibility of public service websites. That will encompass some of the bodies whose representatives are present today. It is a matter of a very holistic look at everything.