You may be happy with legislation introduced without consultation, and without the usual impact assessments, but many people have thought that to be a "bad thing" for so long that it's not in the gift of officials to skip it all. Of course that work will be quick and cheap easier if the Irish addressed and documented issues such the needs of disabled.
I'd have thought that stakeholders might also want to look at regulation by reference to BS EN 13724:2013 (the European standard for mail slots). And also ask if the Scots et al could join in discussions with a view to common regulations across the UK.
And this is why the state costs so much. The Irish have had this in place for at least 18 years and there is no outcry due to problems caused by it, but instead of adopting an eminently sensible solution, with only minimal overview, we'll have to come up with our own version, after a couple of years of consulting all and sundry at great cost. Sometimes the simple and cheap option, even if not the best, is good enough.
A local example: Our local library (now closed despite it costing a 5th of the cost per book loaned of the other libraries), had a copy of a report in. It'd obviously cost many thousands of pounds and a lot of time to prepare, with a huge list of stakeholders. It was concerned with the upgrade of a local car park. All they were doing was repairing the exisisting surface, repainting the markings and cutting back a tree that was shading the pedestrian access and discouraging women from using it at night. It went in depth into possible increased effects on wildlife, local people, even whether water run-off would affect an artifical lake
3 miles away ... yet there was no change to the surface area, drainage, use or anything else and therefore no possible change in the existing effects. A total waste of money.
The sides of such doors are not usually wide enough and would be severly weakened by a large hole. Widening the sides would make the glass narrower and look very odd.
I'm not saying the regulations would be a big and expensive job, only that the "I don't need advice, it's simple, JFDI" approach to legislation carries risks. Much like assorted DIY jobs.
Let's pretend you are the Minister responsible. You tell your officials you want to copy the Irish regulations and that's it. (Up to you if you do so in Speaker Bercow style.) What is your answer to the firm in your constituency that goes on local radio and says "we're going to have spend thousands to change all our designs just 'cos Walker wants an extra couple of mm[1] - WTF does he know about it?". To Questions in the house asking "did you ask the views of disability groups and if not why not?". To the CWU who say "Walker should have dealt with external boxes at the same time but he didn't ask us"?
The usual process is designed - among other things, such as giving better law - to avoid such questions or to give plausible answers to them.
[1] you prescribe a height of 38 mm +/- 1.5; BS EN 13724 has 30-35mm
We seem to now be part-time minders for what could be a 'Borkie' (Beagle / Yorkshire terrier cross (rescue)) and have to say this (or they) seem to have an 'interesting' temperament. [1]
It (or this one of unknown background etc) seems to be the most friendly companion anyone could hope for but also seem to have it's own agenda.
Like, if it sees another dog it could either take no notice of it, or want to shout at it, initially at least (and size / gender / colour doesn't seem to play a part). With most of the ones he wants to shout at, once they have been close for a while and sniffed etc he seems to go back to being just a friendly little dog, mostly.
I don't think he has any particular issues with the postman but does seem to want to announce the presence of anyone at the door ... and will generally bark at them if they aren't 'known', at least till we start talking and then he accepts them as 'friend' (and so I guess he's just doing his job).
A known visitor turned up for the first time wearing motorcycle gear (inc wearing helmet) and he barked at him till he spoke, then he was accepted again as 'friend'. ;-)
He pays no interest to any mail poking through the door. ;-)
Took him to a dog training class the other day and again, had little issue with most of the people but did have an issue with one of the other dogs (who was another Terrier of some sort).
Another family member has a dog half his size who regularly play bites and chases him about and he takes much of it before just voicing his disapproval. ;-)
Cheers, T i m
[1] We are more used to whippets / lurchers who haven't generally shown any aggressive signs to people or other dogs (other than to cats and that's ok with us). ;-)
p.s. This Borkie seemed *very* interested in daughters rabbits, till he found out their electric fence was on (twice). Since then we have seen them nose to nose though the bars and that was because he wanted whatever treats we were giving them. ;-)
The absolutely worst and most useless building regulations are those addressing the 'needs of the disabled'
Ther are no such unique needs. Every disabled person is different. And you need to in general adapt a house at considerable expense to meet those needs.
But as the Minister responsible would you say wheelchair users (and e.g. the elderly) don't care how low - or high - letterboxes are? Or that you don't care what they think?
If not, why adopt Irish figures from 2001 without even asking if something else would be practicable and better - e.g. the "maximum" common reaching zone?
Oddly wheelchair users and elderly people don't all have carers, pay cleaners, or take the Quentin Crisp approach to housework. And there many reviews by and for them of what is and isn't a good machine for them.
('E pur si muove.)
[1] 'There is no need to do any housework at all. After the first four years the dirt doesn't get any worse.'
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