Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

314. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if an audit has been carried out regarding the accessibility to persons with disabilities of buildings to which members of the public generally have access and which are occupied, managed or controlled by a public body; if so, the details of such a survey; if not, if a new survey of such buildings is anticipated; the actions that are under way to ensure access for persons with disabilities to such buildings meets the requirements as set down in the code of practice authored by the National Disability Authority in respect of the requirement to do so under the Disability Act 2005; and the details of similar actions that may be taken in relation access to services provided by a public body. [30645/24]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Under the Disability Act 2005 it is the responsibility of each public body to comply with the accessibility requirements set out within. A complaints process in the Act allows persons to make accessibility related complaints to the public body in question. Responsibility for the State's property portfolio falls, in the main, to the remit of the Office of Public Works, under the aegis of the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, and specific queries relating to the accessibility of these buildings and their compliance with the Code of Practice or the Disability Act 2005 should be directed to that department.

The National Disability Authority is an aegis body of my Department, and has published guidelines on best practice for carrying out an accessibility audit as well as a Code of Practice on Accessibility of Public Services and Information Provided by State Bodies. The NDA was requested to create this Code of Practice by the then Minister of Justice and Equality under Section 30 of the Disability Act to guide public bodies to meet requirements under Sections 26, 27, and 28. By complying with the Code of Practice, public bodies are considered to be in compliance with these sections of the Disability Act, which are intended to ensure that services and information provided by public bodies are accessible to all members of the public, including people with disabilities.

Government is committed to meeting these accessibility standards and ensuring that disabled people have access to public services on an equal basis with others. My Department is leading across government at present for the development of the next National Disability Strategy, following a robust public consultation. The purpose of the Strategy is to provide a framework for coordinated action across government on disability and for the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which sets out specific obligations to accessibility under Article 19. In this context, and as part of an overall framework to ensure disabled people are empowered to live full lives of their own choosing, accessibility is a key consideration as we work to develop actions under the Strategy.