Written answers
Wednesday, 12 November 2025
Department of Children, Disability and Equality
Disability Services
Louis O'Hara (Galway East, Sinn Fein)
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150. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her Department’s efforts to improve accessibility in rural towns and villages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61447/25]
Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for this question. Government is committed to ensuring that disabled people are supported to live full lives of their own choosing, on an equitable basis with all others in society. The accessibility of towns and villages is very important in ensuring that disabled people can participate and thrive within their own communities.
Ensuring that towns and villages are fully accessible is complex and multifaceted, encompassing the provision of safe, reliable and accessible public transport, inclusive and accessible community resources, the role of local authorities in ensuring an accessible built environment and so much more, going well beyond the remit of any one Department or Minister.
The National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, launched on 3rd September, sets out a whole of government approach to disability over the next five years. As part of a core commitment in the Programme for Government, the Strategy will advance further implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and constitute an overarching framework for delivering a step-change in the provision of disability services across several policy areas.
The Strategy will advance delivery on actions across five key thematic pillars that collectively capture the full range of issues impacting on the lives of disabled people:
- Inclusive Learning and Education
- Employment
- Independent Living and Active Participation in Society
- Wellbeing and Health
- Transport and Mobility
Pillar Three – Independent Living and Active Participation in Society – contains an overarching commitment to ensuring that disabled people will have increased supports to live as independently as possible and to enjoy full participation in their local communities.
The Department of Children, Disability and Equality and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage are co-leading on this Pillar’s delivery in conjunction with numerous other government departments and public agencies.
This Pillar includes actions designed to promote the inclusion of disabled people in the local community, including the creation of more accessible services and environments, such as cultural and sporting events, as well as actions that will increase the full participation of disabled people across all aspects of community life, including in our towns and villages nationwide.
Improving the accessibility of public and private transport options for disabled people is a core feature of our overall commitment to ensuring that our towns and villages are accessible for all. The Department of Transport is leading on the delivery of Pillar Five – Transport and Mobility. Pillar Five commits to increased funding for the Public Transport Accessibility Retrofit Programme, in line with the National Development Plan and to expanding the availability of accessible public transport options for both urban and rural areas.
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