Appendices 1, 2 and 3

Appendix 1: Disability Act 2005

Appendix 1.1

Disability Act 2005 – For further information on access to services, as defined in the Act, please contact the NDA

Appendix 1.2

Disability Act 2005 – Part 5, Public Service Employment

47 (1) A public body shall –

a) in so far as practicable take all reasonable measures to promote and support the employment by it of persons with disabilities,

b) have regard to any relevant codes of practice approved under section 50 and section 10A of the Action of 1999 by the relevant Minister.

Part 5 also covers:

  • Compliance Targets (section 47).
  • Monitoring of Compliance (section 48).
  • Action to achieve compliance (section 49).
  • Codes of Practice in respect of employment in public service (section 50).

For further information on Part 5 of the Act, please contact the NDA.

Appendix 2: Access to Built Environment (Heritage)

The following guidelines refer to heritage sites as defined by section 29, part 3 of the Disabilities Act 2005 [15].

Please note these guidelines shall not apply if its application would have significant adverse effect on the conservation status of a species or habitat or the integrity of a heritage site or compromise the characteristics of the site. Also nothing in this section shall be construed as authorising or requiring the adaptation or modification of any heritage site contrary to law.

Heritage Guideline 6 Management of the Built Environment

The organisation regularly reviews, and, if necessary, develops and improves the accessibility of its built environment in public access areas [16].

Criteria to be met:

  • 6.1 (HER) Management has reviewed the current accessibility of the Historic building/site [17];
  • 6.2 (HER) The organisation maintains its own Built Environment Access Handbook [18] for use by managers and maintenance personnel.

Heritage Guideline 7 External Environment

The organisation takes reasonable steps to ensure an accessible approach to its built environment including, where provided, car parking facilities.

Criteria to be met:

  • 7.5 (HER) Where parking spaces designated for people with disabilities are provided, where possible they comply with best practice guidelines or relevant standards [19];
  • 7.6 (HER) Building surroundings and access routes to accessible entrances, including those from a car park used by the public, are designed to best practice guidelines or relevant standards [20] where practicable;
  • 7.7 (HER) Where gradients on access routes in public areas are steeper than 1:20, all reasonable steps are taken to ensure both steps and ramps are provided and correctly designed;
  • 7.8 (HER) All reasonable measures are taken to ensure that entrances used by the public are accessible without adversely impacting on the character and special interest of the historic built environment.

Heritage Guideline 8 Vertical and Horizontal Circulation in Public Areas

Where possible circulation is as simple as possible for all public areas.

Criteria to be met:

(HER) Vertical circulation

  • 8.4 (HER) Steps are avoided where possible but, if in place, an alternative method of changing level in public areas is provided where practicable that conforms with best practice guidelines or relevant standards [21];
  • 8.5 (HER) All reasonable measure are taken to ensure Accessible lifts are provided where practicable;

(HER) Horizontal circulation

  • 8.6 (HER) Where practicable horizontal circulation in public areas complies with best practice guidelines and standards [22].

Heritage Guideline 9 Facilities

The organisation has taken all reasonable steps to provide public services and facilities that are accessible to the public.

Criteria to be met:

  • 9.5 (HER) Correctly designed signage which accounts for architectural heritage is in place in public areas (internally/externally as appropriate) to allow effective, efficient and safe use of the built environment;
  • 9.6 (HER) Telephones, if provided for public use, are accessible to all in public reception/service areas and a Textphone is provided;
  • 9.7 (HER) Where practicable public service reception areas and waiting rooms are correctly designed for ease of use [23];
  • 9.8 (HER) All reasonable steps are taken to ensure toilet facilities, where provided for public use, are accessible to facilitate the needs of people with disabilities [24].

Heritage Guideline 10 Interior Design

The interior design of public areas caters for the needs of as many customers as possible.

Criteria to be met:

  • 10.6 (HER) Where possible the light [25] within the public areas of the building is distributed evenly and eliminates reflections, shadows and glare;
  • 10.7 (HER) Where possible surface finishes are correctly designed;
  • 10.8 (HER) All reasonable steps are taken to ensure colour and luminance contrast, for instance, between walls and floors, between door backgrounds and fittings and between other adjacent decorated elements are in line with best practice guidelines or relevant standards [26] in public areas;
  • 10.9 (HER) All reasonable steps are taken to ensure that fixtures in use are consistent, accessible and easy to use [27].
  • 10.10 (HER)All reasonable steps are taken to ensure that the acoustic properties of public areas have been considered.

Heritage Guideline 11 Evacuation

All reasonable steps are taken to ensure that every user of the built environment has appropriate access to a place of safety in an emergency situation.

Criterion to be met:

  • 11.1 (HER) Management has considered access and safety in emergency situations and has implemented sufficient plans to cover all users of the building including people with disabilities. This includes emergency procedures, emergency equipment, visual and auditory alarms, safety zones and signage.

Appendix 3: Notes

N.B. References given are not exhaustive. There are other best practice documents, standards and guidelines that may be used to provide equivalent outcomes, definitions etc.

  1. 12 Principles of Quality Customer Service for Customers and Clients of the Public Service, see www.bettergov.ie or the ‘Support Pack on the Equality/Diversity Aspects of Quality Customer Service for the Civil and Public Service,’ The Equality Authority (2001).
  2. n this section “heritage site” includes—
    • (a) a monument within the meaning of the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2004,
    • (b) a heritage building or a heritage garden or park within the meaning of the Heritage Act 1995,
    • (c) a protected structure or a proposed protected structure, with any attendant grounds, or an architectural conservation area, within the meaning in each case of the Planning and Development Act 2000,
    • (d) a nature reserve which is the subject of an establishment order within the meaning of the Wildlife Acts 1976 and 2000, and
    • (e) a national park owned by the State and under the management and control of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
  3. When an organisation is developing or improving the Built Environment, it must take into account the importance of good quality design in achieving successful solutions to improve access, in line with the government’s policy on architecture entitled Action on Architecture 2002-2005 A further source of information is chapter 18 'Improving Access' of Architectural Heritage Protection, Guidance for Planning Authorities'(2004) published by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
  4. This access handbook is an internal document for use by management and maintenance personnel. The purpose of the access handbook is to provide a simple way of listing and explaining the features and facilities of a building, which must be maintained in order to ensure access for everyone.
  5. Building for Everyone (Section 5.4 pg 81), BS 8300:2001 (Section 4 pg 5).
  6. Building for Everyone (Section 5 pg 84 and section 6.2 pg 92), BS 8300:2001 (Section 5 pg 11).
  7. Building for Everyone (Section 6.7 pg 105), BS 8300:2001 (Section 8 pg 39).
  8. Building for Everyone (Section 6.7.4 pg110), BS 8300:2001 (Section 8.4 pg 44), BS EN 81-70:2003.
  9. Building for Everyone (Section 6.5 pg 97), BS 8300:2001 (Section 7 pg 35).
  10. Building for Everyone (Section 6.4 pg 95), BS 8300:2001 (Section 11.1 pg 69).
  11. Building for Everyone (Section 6.8 pg 116), BS 8300:2001 (Section 12.2 pg 95).
  12. Building for Everyone (Section 7.5 pg 139).
  13. Building for Everyone (Section 7 pg 135).
  14. Building for Everyone (Section 8 pg 149).

  15. In this section “heritage site” includes—

    • (a) a monument within the meaning of the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2004,
    • (b) a heritage building or a heritage garden or park within the meaning of the Heritage Act 1995,
    • (c) a protected structure or a proposed protected structure, with any attendant grounds, or an architectural conservation area, within the meaning in each case of the Planning and Development Act 2000,
    • (d) a nature reserve which is the subject of an establishment order within the meaning of the Wildlife Acts 1976 and 2000, and
    • (e) a national park owned by the State and under the management and control of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
  16. When an organisation is developing or improving the Built Environment, it must take into account the importance of good quality design in achieving successful solutions to improve access, in line with the government’s policy on architecture entitled Action on Architecture 2002-2005. A further source of information is chapter 18 'Improving Access' of Architectural Heritage Protection, Guidance for Planning Authorities'(2004) published by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
  17. Department of the Environment Heritage and Local Government (2004). Architectural Heritage Protection: Guidelines for Planning Authorities, Adams J. and Foster L. (2004) Easy Access to Historic Buildings. English Heritage UK.
  18. This access handbook is an internal document for use by management and maintenance personnel. The purpose of the access handbook is to provide a simple way of listing and explaining the features and facilities of a building, which must be maintained in order to ensure access for everyone.
  19. Building for Everyone (Section 5.4 pg 81), BS 8300:2001 (Section 4 pg 5).
  20. Building for Everyone (Section 5 pg 84 and section 6.2 pg 92), BS 8300:2001 (Section 5 pg 11).
  21. Building for Everyone (Section 6.7 pg 105), BS 8300:2001 (Section 8 pg 39)
  22. Building for Everyone (Section 6.5 pg 97), BS 8300:2001 (Section 7 pg 35).
  23. Building for Everyone (Section 6.4 pg 95), BS 8300:2001 (Section 11.1 pg 69).
  24. Building for Everyone (Section 6.8 pg 116), BS 8300:2001 (Section 12.2 pg 95).
  25. Building for Everyone (Section 7.5 pg 139).
  26. Building for Everyone (Section 7 pg 135).
  27. Building for Everyone (Section 8 pg 149).

Back to top