There's a growing need for a percentage of houses currently being built to accommodate disabled people, according to the Irish Wheelchair Association.
Twelve hundred people under the age of 65 are currently living in nursing homes, largely due to a lack of accessible housing according to the organisation.
The Department of Disability aims to begin working with the Department of Housing to increase universal design.
In her final report on disability services, our Social Affairs Correspondent Ailbhe Conneely speaks to one nursing home resident, who is in his early 50s.
Music lover, qualified horticulturist, reader and a man with a sharp wit. Ivan Walsh has done "loads of different things" in life.
He has been a DJ in his "youth", worked for an insurance company, he was an employee of Aer Lingus and lived abroad for a time.
In 2010, he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), which was "quite mild" at the time.
Known as Relapse - Remitting MS, he would have flare ups and then periods of recovery, during which he attended work and kept up hobbies like football.
Then, in 2018, he developed a limp, which gradually got worse.
"I ended up in St James's (Hospital) for eight or nine weeks and then they transferred me to a step-down facility," he says.
"That was only meant to be in for eight weeks but I ended up there for 15 months. Then I went to a different place on the north side of the city and then this place came up."
"They'll come in, but it's not the same because if it was my own place they could come in and maybe have a beer and relax and not have to go straight after the game"
At 51, Mr Walsh is living in a nursing home where the staff are "lovely and couldn’t do more for you" but as he points out, "it’s a nursing home, it’s not where I should be".
Activities in the nursing home are understandably geared towards older people and those with dementia.
Mr Walsh has different interests. He is a fan of the Icelandic band Sigur Rós - not a man playing live country music on a guitar.
Basic life choices - over which, he should have autonomy - are not an option.
"Even silly things like watching matches with friends. They'll come in, but it's not the same because if it was my own place they could come in and maybe have a beer and relax and not have to go straight after the game," he said.
Mr Walsh is not the only person under 65 years of age in the nursing home.
On his floor alone there are three men, two of whom use motorised wheelchairs, which offers them an element of freedom.
Still waiting for motorised wheelchair to arrive
Ivan is still waiting for his motorised wheelchair to arrive. Until then he is reliant on others to get from A to B.
"I think I should have ordered a Ferrari; it would have been quicker," he says.
"I'm over a year waiting for it".
He confirms it is coming from the HSE and that "it’s just taking forever".
Currently there are 1,200 people under the age of 65 living in nursing homes.
The Minister for Disability has pointed out that a number of them welcome the care they get in the facilities.
However, many find the settings unsuitable to their needs.
National Advocacy Manager with the Irish Wheelchair Association Joan Carthy says it needs to change.
Noting the level of building that is currently under way nationwide, Ms Carthy points out that while houses can be viewed by disabled people, they can't live in them.
"You can't sleep in them, you can't use the bathrooms, you can't have a family in these houses," she says.
"So, the more houses that are being built in general, the further behind people with disabilities are being left."
Ms Carthy says the building regulations need to include a percentage of wheelchair accessible homes.
Minister for Disability Norma Foley has expressed her intention to work with the Department of Housing on Universal Design.
Houses that are purchased to accommodate independent living are not fit for purpose according to Ms Foley, due to the amount of remedial work that is required to accommodate someone with additional needs.
"If we do better in the space of universal design, it means all properties going forward will be appropriate for those who might need them, whatever their ability level might be or might not be," she says.
"It's thinking outside the box, it's forward planning; recognising that we can't be reactive, we have to be future thinking."
Mr Walsh is hugely grateful to his sister Tracey for taking care of his emails and phone calls and for securing his place in the nursing home.
While he repeatedly praises the staff, he describes living in a nursing home at 51 years of age as "disheartening".
He says the Government "have to be able to think of something better".
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