a. Disability Friendly

Public services must be "disability friendly". In other words, all public service bodies, such as the Health Service Executive (HSE) and County Councils, will aim to provide for the needs of all people with a disability. This means that they will:

• Help people with disabilities to use their services easily,
• Make sure that people with disabilities can get into and around their public buildings. Public buildings must be accessible by 2015,
• Provide information in a way that suits the needs of people with disabilities - for example in Plain English, large print, by phone, by email or in Braille,
• Design their websites so that they match up with the equipment and software used by people with impaired vision,
• Ensure, where possible, that goods and services which they buy can be used by people with disabilities,
• Have an Access Officer to make sure that all of these plans actually happen.

The Equal Status Acts also prohibit discrimination (with exemptions) in the provision of goods and services, education and accommodation.

b. You Can Complain

If you feel that any public service is not disability friendly you have the right to complain. Here's how:

1. You can contact the public service body and ask for a copy of its complaints procedures,

2. You can make your complaint to the Head of the public body.

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your direct approach, you can contact the Ombudsman, whose job it is to investigate complaints about the actions of public service providers.

www.ombudsman.gov.ie
Email: ombudsman@ombudsman.gov.ie
Lo call: 1890 223 030
Address: 18 Lower Leeson Street, Dublin 2.