Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 196: To ask the Minister for Transport the extent to which all public transport has wheelchair access; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36062/06]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Significant progress has been made in recent years in improving wheelchair access to public transport and work in this regard is continuing apace.

All of the regular urban bus fleets operated by Bus Éireann in Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford are low-floor wheelchair accessible. In addition, the company operates some low-floor wheelchair accessible buses on a number of rural routes and on some commuter routes in the Greater Dublin Area. Bus Éireann is also continuing a major bus station refurbishment programme to make them all accessible.

All new buses purchased by Bus Átha Cliath are low-floor and wheelchair accessible. Currently almost 60% of the Bus Átha Cliath fleet is accessible and in excess of 60 routes are now served by such buses. A bus stop accessibility upgrade programme is ongoing to complement the operation of the low floor buses.

Similarly in the rail sector all new rail rolling stock are specified to full accessibility standards. Suburban rail services are now accessible over most of the network for people with mobility impairments and it is envisaged that most Inter-City train services will be accessible within a short number of years as the accessible rolling stock currently on order comes into service. In addition, a railway station accessibility improvement programme is underway based on the findings of the accessibility audit of all railway stations commissioned by Iarnród Éireann in 2003.

Luas has been designed from the outset to be a fully accessible system and the new Metro system planned for Dublin will also be fully accessible.

While there has been significant progress in the development and provision of accessible buses for city services, the production of wheelchair accessible coaches is at an early stage across Europe and coaches of this type are not readily available.

Nevertheless, there are certain positive developments in this regard, including a major 4-year European research project, COST 349, which reported in October 2005. The Report made recommendations in respect of accessibility matters for coach type vehicles. A number of manufacturers are beginning to put the recommendations into practice in the design of their vehicles and such vehicles are only now commercially coming on the market.

Bus Éireann has undertaken to acquire a number of these vehicles for operational trials in Ireland. The Public Transport Accessibility Committee has very recently been briefed in the matter.

My Department has finalised a Sectorial Plan on Accessible Transport in accordance with the provisions of the Disability Act 2005. The Plan titled 'Transport Access for All' addresses the accessibility needs of people with mobility, sensory and cognitive impairments across all transport modes and contains time bound targets for the progressive realisation of accessible transport in Ireland. It has been prepared following an extensive consultation exercise involving meetings and discussions with transport providers together with a wide range of groups in the disability sector.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 199: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will set out standards for the location and quality of bus stops and shelters throughout the greater Dublin area, having particular regard to the need to encourage the general public to use public transport to a greater extent; and ifhe will make a statement on the matter. [36065/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The provision of bus stops and shelters in the greater Dublin area is a matter for the local authorities in that area, in consultation with the Garda Síochána and transport service providers.