Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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807. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to recent changes in the UK regarding shared space guidance in the public realm; his plans to make changes in Irish guidance to reflect this, such as modifying the technical guidance documents for the building regulations or the design manual for urban streets and roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37655/18]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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The Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets (DMURS) was jointly published by my Department and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in 2013, to assist local authorities in promoting sustainable communities. The purpose of the Manual is to ensure that the welfare and needs of pedestrians are prioritised in the design of streets in urban areas, so that roadways for cars do not dominate our towns and cities. It also promotes design approaches that better facilitate and encourage pedestrian movement, and is fully consistent with national planning policy objectives to create more compact settlements.

Supplementary material is currently being prepared for inclusion in the Manual towards providing greater design clarity. This is likely to include material around a universal design approach to meet the needs of all people regardless of age, size, ability and disability particularly where shared spaces are proposed.

While I am aware of the changes taking place in the UK in relation to shared space and road schemes, it should be noted that the design and construction standards for public roads are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.

In relation to the building regulations, the aim of the building regulations is to provide for the safety and welfare of people in and about buildings. The building regulations apply to the design and construction of a new building (including a dwelling) or an extension to an existing building as well as for material alterations and certain material changes of use to existing buildings.

Part M of the Building Regulations provides that adequate provision shall be made for people to access and use a building, its facilities and environs. The accompanying Technical Guidance Document M (TGD M) provides detailed guidance on how this may be achieved in practice.