Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Consideration should be given to the number of people with disabilities living in an area and their housing needs. If we are bypassing some of the local authority considerations, it is crucial that An Bord Pleanála has this knowledge, namely, some sense of housing needs. That is a planning issue, not regulation. If there is a large number of older people in a particular area, for example, there may be a major need for universal design. If it is a student development, what proportion of the student body is likely to have a need for disability designs or other access? A strategic assessment of housing needs is part of planning.