John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Part 3 of the Disability Act, 2005 requires public buildings — defined as a building, or that part of a building, to which members of the public generally have access and which is occupied, managed or controlled by a public body — to be brought into compliance with the provisions of Part M (Access for People with Disabilities) of the national Building Regulations before the end of 2015.

Part M requires that, if sanitary conveniences are provided, adequate provision should be made for people with disabilities. Part M also requires that adequate provision should be made to enable people with disabilities safely and independently to access and use a building. Technical Guidance Document M (TGD-M) provides guidance on how to comply with these requirements.

With regard to non-domestic buildings, Part M applies to all new buildings constructed on or after 1 June 1992, and extensions to or material alterations of existing buildings. However, when hotels, cinemas, educational establishments and similar places of assembly are being extended, if the existing entrance is not accessible to wheelchair users, an alternative entrance should be provided which is accessible to wheelchair users and which will enable them to gain independent access to the extension.

The Building Regulations came into force on 1 June 1992 and have been updated on a periodic basis. They do not, however, apply retrospectively except insofar as the Disability Act 2005 applies the provisions of Part M of the Regulations to publicly owned buildings to which the public have access.