Donegal County Council has been urged to ensure that enough social homes are being built with disabled bathrooms and facilities.
Councillor Tomás Seán Devine raised the issue with the Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District this month, stressing the need for spacious downstairs bathrooms and bedrooms.
Cllr Devine said it is vital that the county’s new social housing developments have enough houses to suit those with special needs.
“In a lot of houses, you could hardly walk into a downstairs toilet never mind get a wheelchair into it, and a lot of bedrooms are upstairs,” he said.
“It’s important we are aware of the applicants and the requirements.”
Cllr Devine said that many people in wheelchairs cannot visit friends and family because there are no facilities for them to get in the front door.
Cllr Devine, who is a member of the 100% Redress Party, also pointed out that people in defective concrete homes who are seeking temporarily accommodation face an extra barrier if they have a disability, due to the lack of supply of accessible homes.
In response, Seamus Canning, Area Manager, Housing & Corporate Services told Cllr Devine that a certain number of units in new developments are constructed according to universal design.
He said: “The design of social housing developments takes cognisance of the existing social housing need including particular requirements associated with disability, on a case-by-case basis. Funding applications are made to the department with the associated HSE documentation in the regard. All social housing units are designed in accordance with the current building regulation.”
