Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 267: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the steps he has taken to promote further progress by the EU on accessibility by disabled persons to cultural places, facilities and activities as a requirement of culture projects funded by the EU. [37577/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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Since becoming Minister with responsibility for the arts, I have consistently maintained that the arts and culture are for everyone, and that a crucial element of maximising access is optimal access for people with disabilities. Accordingly, my Department applies this principle in the context of our participation at various EU fora in discussions on EU funding for cultural projects. Further, it is carried through in a practical way to our funding of cultural facilities, both where co-funded by the EU, and funded from the national Exchequer.

For example, the CDIS scheme, which commenced in 1994, provided grants for cultural infrastructure facilities, and was co-funded by the EU. It was a condition of the scheme that physical accessibility to all projects had to be ensured in the design of the facility. This requirement was deepened and made more specific in the subsequent ACCESS scheme, which from 2001 provided funding of €45.7 million for 44 arts and culture facilities throughout the country. It was a condition of the scheme that all projects would be accessible to people with disabilities both in terms of general access and their participation in the practice of arts and culture activity. This scheme was funded by the Exchequer.

It is worth mentioning that in a press release of 1 December 2005, the EU Commission signalled its intention to ensure that the disability issue is mainstreamed, that is, taken into account in all EU decisions and actions in all areas. The Commission's overall aim is to improve the active inclusion of disabled people through a range of initiatives and measures, including awareness raising, training and equalisation of opportunities for disabled people, and promoting the concept of independent living for disabled people.