Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will keep going in that case. We heard earlier that someone living at home with an elderly parent or other family members knows that their living arrangement will need to change in time, whether because the parent or carer dies or whatever the case might be. At the moment, people must apply for HAP. Members go through the process of getting that person on the list and there are various little things we have to do. When a person with a disability informs the council that he or she has been accepted for the HAP scheme, we look at choice-based letting and so on. Is there then another avenue or option available? Let us say Erin McGreehan needs accessible housing or Mary McGreehan needs supported living. Would they have to contact the HSE and start making a plan, whether to find accessible housing or supported living? Would that involve, say, making sure the list is taken care of as part of planning for a development of 100 houses? Is it the case that we hope that work has been done because this person is on the list and we do not want him or her to languish on it forever? Is a co-ordinated approach taken at the minute? Individuals have a right to have this sorted out.

On training within councils, does continuous professional development, CPD, for technical staff take account of disability equity, access and auditing? We see instances where lovely work has been done by councils, and it is very attractive and looks well, but there is no proper tactile footing and no paint on the edge of steps. Loads of stuff does not get done but if people had proper training, perhaps it would be done and more money would not be spent rectifying these public ground projects later. It would avoid elected representatives having to ask, after the fact, what the story is because a disabled bay has been placed where people cannot access it, for example. Are staff being trained in these areas? Is that training a focus for the CCMA?

Is a co-ordinated approach taken at managerial level to how staff with disabilities are treated and to encouraging people with disabilities to work in these organisations, for example, by facilitating them with assisted technology and listening to their needs? How open are the CCMA and HSE to doing that?

I was glad to hear Ms Farrelly mention public sector duty. Every year, councils must write a public sector report for submission to IHREC. At the end of each year, do local authorities and the HSE rate themselves and analyse whether they hit their public sector target for the year, improved the lives of people with disability, reduced exclusion, and increased inclusion and accessibility?

What is the CCMA's policy on changing places and accessible toilets? Is it proactive in ensuring that money is spent on these facilities when investment is made in new public realm projects? It is a lot cheaper to make something accessible when it is being built or renovated than it is after the fact.

With regard to the pilot scheme on universal design, it is great news for the people of Kells that the principle of 30% universal design has been applied to housing projects. If these are social houses, people will move into them and one would expect them to live in them for their entire lives. Where the principle of 30% universal design is not applied to social housing projects, is there a risk that more money will be spent in the long term on rectifying this housing, for example, to install appropriate toilets for older persons or creating downstairs bedrooms? Are we spending enough money to apply the principle of universal design now as opposed to waiting for 20 years until politicians, whoever they are, ask local authorities to adapt bathrooms, etc? I know there are huge problems in planning and we do not have enough planning regulation. The witnesses are on the front line and see the problems. There is nothing to stopping local authorities from being more proactive and going beyond current regulations because they are on the front line and can see what is needed.