A Social Report for Ireland Volume II - the NESC Website

304buildings has improved as a result of Part M of the building regulations many barrierscontinue to exist for people with disabilities in accessing and using buildings.Comprehensive commitments have been made to improve accessibility andmobility for people with disabilities to enable them to participate in civic, economicand social life to the fullest extent possible. Nevertheless, many shortcomings havebeen identified and current plans will have to be fully implemented if accessibilityis to be significantly improved.Health is a fundamental element of well-being. More than half of people with adisability report an illness associated with their disability, from one third of thosewith a hearing disability to three quarters of those with a breathing disability. Inrelation to supports, about half of people with disabilities use some kind of aid orservice, ranging from two in five of people with remembering and concentratingdisabilities to 90 per cent of those with emotional, psychological and mentalhealth disabilities. About one third of people reported that they needed an aid orservice, varying from 12 per cent of those with remembering and concentratingdisabilities to more than 40 per cent of those with hearing and mobility/dexteritydisabilities. With regard to risk and healthy behaviours one third of people classifiedas ill or disabled smoke (not including people with disabilities who are working orare classified as retired, in home duties, studying), which is higher than the totalpopulation. Smoking can contribute to poor health and disability. Just over onethird of people with disabilities (all those with a disability or long-standing healthproblem) participate in physical activities (compared to two thirds of the totalpopulation).Despite the policy framework for health and social supports for people withdisabilities being comprehensive and ambitious many needs remain to be met. Thechallenge is to meet these needs, both in terms of quantity and quality, especially inthe context of limited resources. The implementation of a ‘person-centred’ tailoredapproach and the setting and monitoring of standards are important dimensionsof these commitments.In relation to democracy and values a high proportion of people with disabilitiesintend to exercise their right to vote. With regard to access to ICT, half of householdswith someone with a disability have a computer and 40 per cent have access to theinternet, which is below the level of access for the population generally. In today’sworld, access to ICT plays an important role in providing access to information,services, and social interaction, as well as providing a platform for assistivetechnology.In terms of the contravention of rights, disability is one of the strongest determinantsof discrimination risk, as people with disabilities perceive discrimination in relationto accessing a number of services, and in work situations. Just under half (45 per cent)of respondents in a public attitudes survey thought that people with disabilitieswere not treated fairly in Irish society, and nearly two thirds thought that societydisables people by creating barriers. Disability groups play an important role inraising issues relating to disability.Unfortunately, information is not available on the extent to which people withdisabilities are the victims of crime, their perception of crime or the extent towhich they have experienced domestic or institutional violence or abuse. The need