Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Housing needs of people with disabilities are addressed in the National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability (NHSPWD) 2016-2021.  A new NHSPWD, is currently being developed by my Department and the Department of Health, with a view to publishing by the end of 2021. The strategy is about facilitating the provision of housing options and related services to disabled people to allow individual choice and support independent living.

In accordance with the vision and strategic aims of the current NHSPWD to achieve a coordinated and integrated approach to meeting the housing needs of people with a disability at local level, Housing and Disability Steering Groups (HDSGs) have been established in all local authority areas.  These are chaired by the Directors of Housing with membership including the Health Service Executive (HSE) and disability representatives.

Each HDSG has prepared a local Strategic Plan for its own City/County area, to develop specific local strategies to meet the identified and emerging housing needs of people with disabilities in their areas with a view to developing annual targets for the delivery of housing to people with a disability on their housing waiting lists. 

The Building Regulations apply to the design and construction of all new buildings (including dwellings) and to certain works to existing buildings. They are subject to ongoing review in the interests of safety and the well-being of persons in the built environment and to ensure that due regard is taken of changes in construction techniques, technological progress and innovation.

The Building Regulations (Part M Amendment) Regulations 2010, and the accompanying Technical Guidance Document M – Access and Use (2010), which came into effect on 1 January 2012, set out the minimum statutory requirements that a building must achieve in respect of access. Part M aims to foster an inclusive approach to the design and construction of the built environment. 

The ‘Programme for Government Our Shared Future’ commits to ensuring that there is an appropriate mix of housing design types provided, including universally designed units, and accommodation for older people and people with disabilities. 

In addition, the joint policy statement Housing Options for Our Ageing Population, launched by my Department and the Department of Health in 2019, includes an Action on universal design to “In partnership with industry, introduce measures to ensure that over a five year period delivery is increased to ensure that 30% of all new dwellings are built to incorporate universal design principles to accommodate our ageing population.” Appropriate measures to deliver on this commitment are currently being formulated by the National Disability Authority, who are an independent statutory body that provides information and advice to the Government on policy and practice relevant to the lives of persons with disabilities.

Finally, in December 2020, my Department established a Working Group to examine the provision for a changing places toilet in certain buildings. A changing places toilet offers larger supported facilities that address the needs of people for whom current accessible sanitary accommodation is inadequate. These facilities enable people with complex care needs to take part in everyday activities such as travel, shopping, family days out or attending a sporting event.

The plenary Working Group has met six times to date, in addition to a number of sub-group meetings.  Draft documentation, which includes Draft Building Regulations (Part M Amendment) Regulations 2021, Draft Technical Guidance Document M – Access and Use 2021 and a Regulatory Impact Analysis, is currently being prepared  to support a  public consultation in the matter later this  year.