Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 420: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his Department has carried out an audit (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6531/08]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 421: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the sectoral plan (details supplied) includes offices in County Mayo; and if so, if the audits have been carried out and by whom. [6532/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 420 and 421 together.

Section 25 of the Disability Act, 2005 requires that all public buildings be fully accessible by 2015 and that they at least meet the minimum standard as set out in Part M of the Building Regulations, 1997 — 2006. The Department's Sectoral Plan (as required by section 31 of the Act) sets out an Action Plan in this regard. This Plan provides for a programme of formal access audits all of our buildings including in Co. Mayo. Since 2006, fifteen such audits have been undertaken but none as yet in the Mayo area. Audits of the ten offices in County Mayo will be carried out in due course.

My Department is reliant on the Office of Public Works (OPW) to commission these audits and to undertake any works of a substantive nature which are recommended in the subsequent reports. The OPW also manage the allocation of funds for this work. My Department is working closely with the Office of Public Works with a view to meeting the targets set down in the Sectoral Plan. I would like to add that most of my Department's Offices meet a basic standard of physical accessibility. In addition, my Department is continually upgrading its facilities and where offices are found to be totally unsuitable for their purpose there is a replacement programme in place. In relation to those offices which are currently inaccessible, alternative arrangements are made, where necessary, to accommodate individual accessibility requirements.