Victor Boyhan warns street furniture rules block disabled access
Victor Boyhan addressed the motion on the Planning and Development Street Furniture Fees Regulations 2025, supporting the measure but warning it risks excluding people with disabilities from the public realm. He asked the Leader to convey his concerns to the minister and said he would send an email to the minister that afternoon.
Main concern
He welcomed the use of public realm by restaurateurs for social interaction and business, but said his primary concern is people with disabilities, including the visually impaired, who struggle to navigate streets obstructed by tables, chairs and other furniture.
Legislative context
He noted the motion is a statutory requirement requiring Oireachtas approval and described the regulations as a minor detail that nonetheless needs proper implementation and oversight by local authorities.
Effects on street users
He described streets across Dublin, the suburbs and the country where extended tables and chairs frequently go beyond the parameters of the legislation, creating obstacles for people with disabilities, parents with tricycles and elderly residents.
Requested actions
He said he supports the regulations "if this is going ahead" but insisted that an explanatory memorandum should tell local authorities it is their responsibility to police furniture placement and to work with the disability sector to guarantee equal access to public spaces.
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Leader, today we have before us a motion in relation to the planning and development street furniture fees regulations 2025, without debate. I just want to comment on it as part of the order of business here today, and to say that I think it is very important, and I would ask that you would convey this to the relevant people and the relevant minister. Is there an issue with it? Oh, it is tomorrow, but I am going to speak on it now if I can anyway. My concern about this motion is such, and it will give me an opportunity also to convey an email to the minister this afternoon about it, is that every year I stand up here, because this is a requirement, a statutory requirement to bring this motion to both houses at the Oireachtas, it needs the Oireachtas approval for such a minor detail, but I suppose my main concern, I have no difficulty with the restaurateurs or anyone using public realm outside to increase, maximise their business, I see the health and the goodness and the community benefits of having the public realm used in terms of social interaction, but my main concern is that of people with disabilities, and constantly people in advocacy for the disability sector, the visually impaired sector, tell me that they are confronted with challenges around navigating the public realm. There has to be democracy attached to the public realm, the public space, and therefore to be told politely to F off basically when they are asked to get out of the way. So all over Dublin, all over the suburbs, all over the country, we have extended tables and chairs, way beyond the parameters of this legislation, and the people with disabilities and people with young children and tricycles and elderly people cannot navigate our streets. So I think we need to say, if this is going ahead and I am supporting it, but with that comes an explanatory memorandum telling the local authorities it is their responsibility to police this and to work with the disability sector, but I think it is important that everyone, every sector of our society and community is entitled to have equal access to the public realm, and that needs to be borne in mind in relation to this legislation. Thank you.
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