Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 586: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the current measures employed to ensure that all buildings used for full-time education are both accessible from an equality point of view and compliant with health and safety standards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31865/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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It is the policy of my Department to provide all new schools with access for all facilities and special toilets for disabled teachers and students. In addition, new schools with two or more storeys are provided with lifts. My Department advises school authorities and their design teams of accessibility requirements during the architectural planning process of projects.

Concerning access for all to existing school buildings, my Department will respond as promptly as possible to a request from a school authority for funding for adaptations necessary to allow any person with mobility problems to access the building.

With regard to health and safety matters, individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring the safety and welfare of children and others in their care. In accordance with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989, it is the responsibility of school management authorities to have a safety statement in place in their schools. Schools are obliged to identify possible hazards, assess the risks to health and safety and put appropriate safeguards in place.