Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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115. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the steps being taken by the OPW to ensure buildings it has responsibility for are fully accessible for persons with disabilities, including having a suitable toilet and changing places facilities. [56221/22]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The Office of Public Works endeavour to integrate best practice into every aspect of our building compliance requirements. We aim to understand and encompass techniques, where the best solutions for the buildings within their specific context can be applied. Ideally, a refined suite of solutions may be applicable across other similar building types in the portfolio. This approach benefits all of society and re-frames and prioritises the work of OPW architects, engineers, surveyors, district inspectors, clerks of works and other stakeholders working directly within the Office of Public Works or acting as agents on our behalf. This in turn enhances the experiences of building users. It ensures Accessibility and Universal Design principles frame and guide all aspects of the built environment to which the public have the right to access. This is enabled through the application of Codes of Practice, Technical Guidance Documents and Building Regulations.

The OPW is responsible for a portfolio of modern and historical buildings, monuments, parks and sites. Each property has its own challenges in terms of optimising accessibility. Some of the projects completed in recent years have been a particular success, in that innovative solutions have been designed and brought to fruition, often in challenging circumstances.

1.) Accessibility Audits of building stock:

A reframed accessibility audit review of all OPW buildings across the State is to be carried out taking account of the proposed amendments to Part M of the Technical Guidance Documents. The original programme was adversely disrupted by the pandemic over the last two and a half years, whereby site visits and reports, critical to the completion of our inspections, were mostly postponed, cancelled or delayed. Over 1,900 buildings overall in the category have been identified to be audited. Of these, following initial desk-top surveys, where collating documentary data relating to each building is co-ordinated, approximately 29% of buildings can generally be excluded i.e. they are vacant properties, sites or properties in the process of being released. When our finalised schedule of audits is identified and subsequently completed, we will be in a position to confirm an updated programme of upgrading works throughout the State.

Our technical teams are focusing on the most urgent and essential works across the country at this time. Even with progress to date, we fully appreciate that must further strive to create a built environment and public spaces best suited and equipped to ensure all our citizens are treated with dignity and consideration. Since the publication of the I.S. EN 17161:2019 Standard on Design for All in 2019, we have looked forward to moving towards wider application of the Universal Design principles in our buildings and sites. This will, in addition, benefit from amendments to Technical Guidance Document Part M including those proposed for the provision of Changing Places Facilities in specific settings. (Proposed legislation: Building Regulations (Part M Amendment) Regulations 2022).

2.) Changing Places Facilities Update:

In relation to the provision of Changing Places Facilities for the public, the following is the current position: In December 2020, in support of Government policy on advancing the rights and inclusion of people with disabilities, Minister for Housing Local Government and Heritage established a Working Group to examine the provision of a Changing Places facility in certain buildings. The Working Group has now published its recommendations on the types and sizes of buildings where this facility should be incorporated. Their recommendations have been published for consultation as: Preliminary Regulatory Impact Analysis Draft Proposal for the Provision of a Changing Places Toilet in Certain Buildings.Public consultation was launched on the 9^thFebruary 2022. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage sought submissions, observations and comments on a proposed amendment to the Building Regulations and associated Technical Guidance Document M – Access and Use to make provision for a Changing Places toilet in certain buildings. The deadline for submissions was 12^thof May 2022 and the responses are currently under review by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

It is proposed by the Working Group that at least one Changing Places Toiletbe provided to enhance public facilitieswhere a) extending the existing building results in an increase of at least 25% in its floor area or b) buildings/ facilities undergo a Material Change of Use. Building types managed and/or designed by the Office of Public Works in this category would potentially include Museums, Schools, Offices with a public reception area, Heritage sites where sanitary facilities are provided already and/or outdoor amenities primarily used for recreation or entertainment fulfilling certain criteria.These criteria and building requirements are listed in Table 1 Section 6.0 of the Preliminary Regulatory Impact Analysis Draft Proposal for the Provision of a Changing Places Toilet in Certain Buildings, pp.14-17.

3.) Summary:

There are considerable challenges with resourcing, planning and statutory consents and approvals in this area of work. In addition, associated site services and other infrastructural requirements often create unanticipated difficulties to be resolved. This demands professionalism in consideration of the visitor’s needs, time and sensitive design solutions, evaluated on a case-by-case basis. In addition, the overall impact of the introduction of proposed Changing Places facilities will see wider potential for participation by the public and increased social inclusion. This amendment to the Building Regulations Part M can, when enacted, add considerable value to the visitor experience and ensure full and equal participation for all in the community whether it be visiting cultural institutions and museums or attending official government facilities and services.