An accessibility audit of the Leinster House complex has identified 645 issues affecting people with disabilities, nearly 200 of which posed a risk to health and safety, or were considered likely to give rise to legal proceedings.
The audit was carried out by specialist consultants over three days, and revealed “several critical areas needing attention” among hundreds of concerns regarding accessibility at the national parliament.
Disabled parking bays were incorrectly marked out, a security scanner at the public entrance was too narrow for wheelchair users, and a number of issues were identified with accessible toilets in the complex.
The audit also noted that people in wheelchairs were required to take a different route to the members’ restaurant from the canteen in Leinster House. It said routes should be “equitable” and allow disabled people to remain with their companions.
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Wheelchair users were also prevented from accessing a medical room by a narrow doorway, which was also partially obstructed by the base of a statue, according to the audit report, which was obtained under freedom of information.
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A fire exit was identified as too narrow for wheelchairs, and inspectors noted that there were steps on an evacuation route leading to an emergency exit from the public gallery in the Dáil.
About 30 per cent of the 645 issues or concerns were categorised as “priority one” in the audit, which were considered to pose health and safety risks or were likely to give rise to legal proceedings.
About 45 per cent of the issues were classed as “priority two”, 16 per cent as “priority three”, and 9 per cent as “priority four”. The audit, which was conducted in September 2024, covered all three buildings of the complex: Leinster House, LH2000, and the 1966 block.
Last month, the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW), Kevin “Boxer” Moran, said the agency was carrying out feasibility studies regarding additional accessible toilets following the audit.
“The purpose of the audit was to provide expertise, insight and recommendations for a more universally inclusive parliament,” he said in response to a parliamentary question by Sinn Féin TD Rúairí Ó Murchú.
Last September, the Government launched a five-year strategy committing to provide better accessibility for disabled people in their everyday lives.
Speaking at the time, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he was “confident it will come to be regarded as a landmark moment for the advancement of disability rights in Ireland”.
