Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 323: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will put in place regulations to ensure that hotel rooms for disabled persons are located on the ground floor of hotels when practicable, thereby enabling persons with a disability to safely exit a building in the event of an emergency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30616/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Part B (Fire Safety) of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations provides for the means of escape in case of fire in buildings. Part B 1 of the Regulations states: "A building shall be so designed and constructed that there are adequate means of escape in case of fire from the building to a place of safety outside the building, capable of being safely and effectively used." Technical Guidance Document B (TGD-B), which provides guidance on how to comply with the requirements of Part B, includes (in Section 1.4.15) provisions for escape by persons with disabilities.

Part M (Access for People with Disabilities) of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations, as amended, provides for the access and use of hotels and other types of building for people with disabilities. Article M1 of the Regulations requires adequate provision to be made to enable people with disabilities to safely and independently access and use a building.

Specific guidance on how a hotel can comply with its obligations under Part M is set out in TGD-M, with specific provisions included in section 1.18.

Part M of the Building Regulations is currently under review and a new Part M is expected to be published by the end of 2010.

The Regulations are continually updated to ensure that they remain in line with best practice.