Planning regulations governing access for people with disabilities to public and private dwellings are being flouted regularly, according to a disability group.
People with Disabilities in Ireland (PwDI), the co-ordinating organisation for all people with disabilities, has called for the proper implementation of planning regulations on accessibility which they claim are not being implemented by local authorities.
Mr Michael Ringrose, chief executive with PwDI, told the organisation's annual general meeting in Tullamore at the weekend of the "grave concern" at the non-implementation of a section of new building regulations by many local authorities.
Regulations, in place since 2001, state that all dwellings, public and private, must be accessible to people with disabilities, according to Mr Ringrose.
The regulations require that front and living room doors are wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair and the provision of a ground floor toilet accessible to wheelchair users and other people with disabilities.
A recent inspection of planning applications in Waterford County Council by a member of PwDI indicates that the regulations are being flouted, according to Mr Ringrose.
Five planning applications were picked at random and none of them complied with the regulations.
The process was repeated again two months later and again, none complied with the law.