A Social Report for Ireland Volume II - the NESC Website

284Figure 9.30 (based on a survey of 109 people with disabilities undertaken for theNDA) shows that, despite Part M of the building regulations access to, and use of,recently constructed non-residential buildings remains difficult for people withdisabilities. For example, even though just over half of the respondents thoughtthat having building regulations made a difference to the accessibility of nonresidentialbuildings, only 12 per cent thought they were being enforced. This viewis borne out by their experience where just two out of five can generally reach themain entrance of recently completed buildings (other than dwellings), the mainproblems being parking, gravel paths, steps, and ramps that are too steep. Only athird could generally, safely and independently, enter recently completed buildings(other than dwellings), the main problems being door type, door size/width, andthe location of intercoms.Figure 9.30 Accessibility of the Built Environment, 2004 199%10090132061312716807060335255605950504068302010054124232283435Building RegsMade a Differencere Access toBuildingsBuilding Regsare BeingEnforcedCan Reachthe Entranceof RecentlyCompletedBuildingsCan EnterRecent BuildingsCan Enter andUse Bedroomsin HotelsCan Access andUse ToiletFacilitiesCan AccessFixed SeatingBuildingsp Yes p No pNo Opinion / Non ResponseSource National Disability Authority, 2005b.Given the number of new hotels built during the economic boom, it is disappointingthat less than one third of respondents were generally able to access and usebedrooms in hotels and guest houses built in the last ten years. The main problemswere the size and layout of the bedrooms and bathrooms. Only a third of respondentsto the survey were able to access and use the toilet facilities in recently completedbuildings, the main problems being the size of cubicles and the direction andlocation of door opening. Again, just over a third of respondents could, most of the199. The information presented in this graph is based on a survey of people with disabilities to assess the effectiveness of Part M andwhether they were able to access and use the buildings to which the regulation applied. It is not a representative survey butillustrative of the views of people with disabilities. The information was captured through a questionnaire. The results are basedon the responses of 109 people with disabilities, spread throughout the country and across disability types. The questionnaire wassupplemented with qualitative information. The information presented relates to recent buildings (built in the last 10 years) and tonon-residential buildings.