Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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779. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the funding streams in place by which a local authority may make an application to carry out improvements in a town, so as to make the town wheelchair and disability friendly. [30381/15]

Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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In 2005, the multi-annual Disability Services programme to assist delivery of the National Disability Strategy by my Department, local authorities and bodies under the aegis of my Department was commenced. Funding was allocated annually to local authorities on the basis of priority areas identified by them in implementation plans. The programme was completed in 2009 with one year’s extra funding provided by my Department in 2010. In total, over €77 million was provided to local authorities between 2005 and 2010. The programme has now ceased and there are no plans for a further scheme. Local authorities now work on an on-going basis toward making public spaces, public buildings and services owned and operated by them accessible. In accordance with my Department’s commitments under the National Disability Strategy Implementation Plan, under the Disability Act 2005, local authorities must include accessibility as an objective throughout all new Local Authority corporate plans and development plans. Local Authority Implementation Plans must also commit to bring public areas of local authority buildings up to Buildings Regulations Part M (2000) standard by 2015 and up to Part M (2010) standard by 2022, or as soon as resources allow.