Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I completely agree with the Minister. To express carbon emissions so thoroughly within a Bill is inappropriate. However, it would be remiss of me, as a member of the Joint Committee on Disability Matters, not to highlight the fact that witnesses have come before the committee to report that building regulations are not centred on their needs. Their ability to visit properties is catered for but their ability to stay over is not. People can come and visit but there is no requirement for their needs to be catered for further. It is fine if they are visiting the ground floor but there is no facility if they need to go upstairs. When we come to building regulations and all those other aspects, we must ensure the voices of people with disabilities are included at the centre of the discussion and influence the outcome so that there is nothing about us without us.