Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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435. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on providing fully accessible changing places and toilet facilities open to the public in all buildings which his Department owns and public bodies and agencies under his remit to offer people with disabilities and carers a network of equipped spaces to take care of personal hygiene, in safety and comfort. [38720/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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My Department is not the owner of any buildings or offices. The procurement, purchase and rent of Government offices is the responsibility of Property Management Services in the Office of Public Works, which acts as an agent for all Government Departments and offices. The Deputy will be aware that the National Disability Authority (NDA) and the Office of Public Works (OPW) are working closely on the operational review of the effectiveness of Section 25 of the Disability Act 2005 which focuses on the accessibility of public buildings.

I can confirm to the Deputy that new office space was acquired in September 2021 for my Department’s Head Quarters at 52 Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2. This building is currently in partial occupation pending completion of building works to be carried out on behalf of the Office of Public Works. As such, facilities are limited and due to the nature and layout of the historic building occupied by my Department the provision of changing, and or, toilet facilities to members of the public are not being considered at this time. I am aware that fully accessible changing areas and toilet facilities provide more space and appropriate equipment for persons who require the assistance of a carer to undertake their personal hygiene, in safety and comfort and my Department will continue to work with the Office of Public Works (OPW) on upgrading any of our existing facilities, where appropriate, to support persons with a disability.

The information in respect of state bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my Department. Contact details for these bodies are set out in the attached document should the Deputy wish to contact them directly with this query .

Contact E-Mail Addresses for State Bodies under the Remit of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

Note 1 – In regard to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and the Irish Research Council (IRC) as the IRC operates under the auspices of the HEA. Mr Mellett will address Oireachtas queries for both the HEA and IRC. Please use Oireachtas@hea.ie and Oireachtas@research.ie respectively to contact Mr Mellett.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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436. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way that his Department and public bodies and agencies under his remit are implementing action 32 of the National Disability and Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021 (details supplied). [38738/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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My Department has put in place a Disability Consultative Committee as mandated under Action 32 of the National Disability and Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021. The Committee held its most recent meeting in late May 2022. The next meeting is scheduled for early September 2022.

The committee consists of nominees from the Disability Stakeholders Group, a number of sections within my Department who have responsibility for policies regarding persons with disabilities and representatives from the following organisations: Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), National Disability Authority (NDA), Higher Education Authority (HEA), Grangegorman Development Agency (GGDA), SOLAS and Leargas. It is chaired by the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion section of my Department.

Separately, I have ongoing engagement with a recently established Disabled Postgraduate Advisory Committee (DPAC). The DPAC is a group of disabled postgraduate students and academics who have an in-depth knowledge and lived experience of our higher education system and the potential barriers that people with disabilities can encounter.

Students with disabilities are a key target group within the National Access Plan and disability organisations are represented on the National Access Plan Steering Committee. An Equity of Access subcommittee of the National Apprenticeship Alliance will be established shortly to ensure that the voice of under-represented groups, including persons with disabilities are heard.

My Department is also represented on a number of cross-departmental strategies for peoples with disabilities including, inter alia, the National Disability Inclusion Strategy Steering Group and the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities Implementation Group.