Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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1950.To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on funding available to charities for the construction of purpose-built adult disability day services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33699/24]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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1951.To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the current requirements for local authorities to provide in-person assistance to disabled people and older people to enable them to access council services, i.e., help with forms or online applications; and should requirements not exist, whether their introduction is being considered. [33720/24]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Disability Act 2005 it is the responsibility of each public body to comply with the accessibility requirements set out within Part 3 of the Act. The Act also requires all public bodies, including local authorities, to appoint an Access Officer, to assist members of the public in accessing information and services. Where a public body is not meeting its accessibility obligations, a complaints process in the Disability Act allows persons to make accessibility related complaints to the public body in question.

In that regard, specific queries relating to the accessibility of local authority buildings or facilities, or information and services, should be directed first and foremost to the local authority in question. In broader terms, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage oversees the operation of the local government system. Where concerns arise about the fulfilment of a local authority's statutory obligations, oversight of the local authority system rests with my colleague the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Assistance for public bodies on accessibility issues is available from the National Disability Authority. The National Disability Authority is an aegis body of my Department, and has published 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.