Mr. Tony Cunningham:

The question from the Deputy was about what all of us on this call can do. Language is so powerful that it moves mountains. In our conversations, we are hearing about topics such as extra space, additional costs, value for money and special needs. The houses we are talking about are not a luxury but a requirement. This is about designing space to meet people’s requirements. If anybody who does not have a disability went to buy or rent a house and then found that the house had no front door and it was necessary to go in the window, would we accept that? In that scenario, would we call a special house one that has a front door and where it would not be necessary to climb in the window? We could think of a situation where the gate was blocked up either in this comparative context. These are simple things, but I encourage everybody to look at the language used and to challenge such language when it comes up. This is not about special needs and it is not about luxuries. It is about designing to meet people’s requirements so they can live their lives.

I encourage everybody - including myself, because this is where my learning has come from during my 17 years with the Irish Wheelchair Association - to get to know people with disabilities. Doing that could include going, or trying to go, on a bus journey with people who have disabilities or visiting people in their homes to see what they can and cannot access, if people are willing to share their experience. That would enable people to get a sense of the lived experience and it should be done at all levels. I would start with ensuring that the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and everybody else involved in housing had that experience. There is nothing like the human experience to touch someone and to impact change.

A movement is emerging here across the disability sector. We are building a campaign, an alliance across the disability sector, centred on calling for a review of Part M of the building regulations. It is being led by Ms Lally. She has already met with many of the disability organisations, including physical, sensory and intellectual groups, to explore us coming together before the end of this year and into the new year to try to drive this change. We encourage anyone interested in supporting that campaign to get involved when it begins. We must drive this change, because it is not going to happen otherwise. I have been told that we are involved in a cost-benefit analysis process now that is examining universal design with the National Disability Authority. I have also been told, however, that there has been talk of this having been going on for years but nothing is happening. Our initiative is concerned with driving that change.

Turning to what standards are required, many different standards already exist. Part M of the building regulations is one example. The Irish Wheelchair Association, however, has its own best practice access guidelines. Those are available on our website. Our guidelines probably exceed many of the existing standards, but they are based on the lived experience of people with disabilities. They cover all aspects of the built environment, from ATM machines, to section 10 on housing, to ramps and all that. Those guidelines are available on our website and represent the standards that we would be advocating for. We are seeking a review of the existing standards, and everybody here is saying the key aspect in this regard is the public consultation. That would allow us to hear from people with disabilities and other people impacted so the right decisions can be made.