Written answers

Tuesday, 8 July 2014

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Departmental Funding

Photo of Kevin HumphreysKevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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597. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the funding, if any, his Department provides for library services for persons with a visual impairment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29569/14]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The library in my Department is used, in the main, by officers of the Department. It has an electronic portal that allows users access documents held in electronic format. Specialised software and hardware are provided to internal users who are visually impaired to facilitate access to this information.

Given the availability of and access to the internet and on-line information my Department’s library service is not as widely used today as it was in the past. Therefore access to all data normally available through the library is readily available to all staff including those with visual impairment.

In line with my Department’s policy to address issues relating to accessibility to its publications, tenders for the design and publication of Department publications always include the requirement for the capability to produce the document in HTML, braille, large type and audio formats.

In terms of a specific budget for library services for persons with visual impairment my Department has in the past and will continue to fund, the necessary supports to ensure equal access for all staff.

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