Laois County Council has no intentions of making alterations to the elevator in the New Library in Portlaoise.
That is according to Council Chief Executive Mr John Mulholland, who was speaking at the monthly meeting of Laois County Council on Monday.
LaoisToday broke the news two weeks ago that the library’s elevator is not suitable for the vast majority of wheelchair users.
Sinn Féin Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley raised the issue at the January meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District when she exposed a series of emails between the Irish Wheelchair Association and Laois County Council.
Cllr Dwane Stanley explained that the Wheelchair Association insists that electric wheelchairs – which accounts for between 80% and 95% of all wheelchair users – cannot access the elevator.
Nevertheless, a bullish Mr Mulholland said that the County Council will be making no improvements or alterations to the elevator.
“I can say, categorically, that the lift, in it’s construction and specification, complies fully with the building regulations that are in place in this state,” Mr Mulholland said.
“It goes without saying that we would not have been funded for the library unless the building conformed to those codes.
“The kind of headlines and statements we’ve seen are unhelpful.
“It is disappointing that this should have come forward – I don’t know why it’s in the public arena.”
Independent Cllr Aisling Moran explained to the Chief Executive that “this is in the public arena because 80 to 95% of wheelchair users cannot get up to the second floor.
“Who is going to pay to put in a new lift? Is there a new lift going in, or are you just going to leave the second floor inaccessible to people with disabilities?”
But Mr Mulholland reiterate his stance, saying: “There is nothing to be done – the lift is fully compliant with building regulations.
“If there is a different point of view between wheelchair users – and obviously we sympathise fully with their situation – they should take it up with the Department of Environment and building control authorities.
“Laois County Council has discharged its functions in accordance with the law, and there is to be no retrofitting of the lift.
“From the point of view of the Council, nothing is required to be done.”
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