Mr. Tony O’Donnell,
Secretary,
Tiernaur Hall Society Ltd,
Sandhill,
Newport,
Co. Mayo.
9th August 2004.
"Building Regulations 2000, Technical Guidance Document M, access for People with Disabilities".

Dear Tony,
I refer to the outlay of the proposed disabled toilets and width of doors from the entrance and internally and lobbies in your plans for Tiernaur Hall.
Regarding the provision of lobbies such as the one in your plans, lobbies are only required when food is sold in the premises or if food is consumed in area. With regard to the positioning of disabled toilets, Section 2a of Technical Guidance Document M, 2000 deals with sanitary conveniences in buildings other than dwellings. Particular attention should be drawn to the last sentence of Section 2.3:
{Sanitary accommodation for people with disabilities should be provided in a convenient and accessible part of the building to which wheelchair users have independent access}
For ventilation of sanitary accommodation in buildings other than dwellings, reference should be made to Section 1.14 and 1.15 of Technical Guidance Document F, 2002 (Hygiene).
Section 1.15 states that:
[Where a kitchen, bathroom or sanitary accommodation is in an internal room, it shall have mechanical extract ventilation to extract air at a rate of not less than that given in Table 2, and a permanently open air inlet having a clear opening area of at least 9000 mm2]
According to Table 1.4 of Technical Guidance Document B, 1997 (Fire Safety), the minimum clear width of a fire exit is 800mm (suitable for a minimum of 50 persons discharging). Where numbers in excess of 50 are discharging the clear width of the exit has to be increased beyond 800mm. This may be achieved by increasing the width of the door leaf or by using a double door leaf door set.
If a double door leaf door set is used as a final exit, such as the main entrance to a building, then one leaf must provide a clear opening width of not less than 800mm to comply with Section 1.7 (a) of Technical Guidance Document 2000. For double door leaf door sets used internally, one leaf must provide a clear opening width of not less than 750mm to comply with Section 1.9 (a) of TGD M, 2000.
Section 1.4.3 of TGD B, 1997 (Fire Safety) deals with doors on escape routes. Doors on escape routes (both within and from the building) should be readily openable in the direction of escape without the use of a key. In places of assembly doors must always open in the direction of escape if more than 20 persons are expected to use them.
Finally, all measures should be taken to ensure that external lighting at the approach to the building defines the entrance clearly.
In your letter to me dated 22nd February 2004 you wrote that you were more or less depending on the engineers advice. As Access Officer for People with Disabilities in Mayo I am answerable to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform (JELR).
I also work with the National Disability Authority (NDA) who has been asked by (JELR) to present a draft Guideline for the Achievement of Improving Accessibility for consideration by all Government Departments. The draft has been produced in the context of the accessibility commitment as outlined in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness (PPF 2000) which includes the development of guidelines, monitoring and auditing progress towards the achievement of better accessibility for public services and the awarding of an accessibility symbol to compliant public services.
So if the Disability Bill which is about to be passed and hopefully the disabled will have a better say in what they need to fill as full a life as possible, Architects and Engineers and Local Representatives will have to listen to our demands.
I hope the above response is off assistance to your committee and if you have any further queries please do not hesitate in connecting me.

Kindest Regards
……………………..
Tom Chambers,
"The Billy Ranch"
Knocknageeha,
Newport,
Co. Mayo,
Access Officer for PwDI,
Mayo Network.
ID Number 24