Ireland ignoring need for Changing Place Toilets
THE lack of Changing Place Toilet Facilities in Ireland has been criticised at the November meeting of Louth county council.
Cllr Declan Power was speaking on his motion calling on the local authority to write to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Darragh O’Brien to make amendments and change the Irish Building Regulations to make it mandatory for new public buildings to include these facilities.
Changing Places Toilet Facilities are different from standard accessible toilets. They provide extra equipment like a hoist and an adult-sized changing bench.
They are designed to support the disabled community and provide access to public toilet facilities that meet more complex needs.
Cllr Power pointed out that when one of these toilets became available at DkIT in early October, it was the first in Louth and just the sixteenth in the Republic of Ireland.
In Northern Ireland there are 40, a number set to increase.
He continued Ireland was seriously failing the disabled community and more than 200,000 carers.
Cllr Power hoped Louth county council would reconsider its decision not to include a Changing Place Toilet in its Fair Street development in Drogheda.
Cllr Maeve Yore said she would be happy to partfund one in Fair Street.
‘It’s absolutely inhumane to ask people to lie on the floor. It’s a huge challenge for people in wheelchairs in Co. Louth.’
Cllr Paddy McQuillan said he was very disappointed with the response previously to his call to have one of the toilets included in the Fair Street council offices.
The need was there, he added.
Cllr Hugh Conlon said these changing facilities should be in all places where the public gathered.