David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 56: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the action he will take to ensure that developers are reminded at preplanning stage of their obligations to make buildings accessible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8119/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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My Department's Development Management Guidelines for Planning Authorities, published in June 2007, available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie, emphasise the importance and value of pre-application consultations between developers and planning authorities. Pre-application consultations are stated to be of value for, among other things, advising applicants of procedural requirements, including:

the implications of Building Control legislation, including provisions in relation to fire safety and access for the disabled (including, following the enactment/commencement of the Building Control Act 2007, provisions regarding Disability Access Certificates); and

the necessity to ensure that the design implications of accessibility for all are addressed in the approach routes to buildings, including the location of car parking and other related issues.

The Guidelines also refer to the National Disability Authority's publication "Building for Everyone" which offers good practice on the accessibility issue, and suggest that consultation with organisations representative of people with disabilities may also be of assistance.

In 2003 my Department also issued a Circular Letter titled "Public Awareness of Building Regulations" which requested Planning Authorities to issue a copy of the Department's Planning Information Leaflet PL 11 — Guide to the Building Control System — to every recipient of planning permission for housing developments.