Public Consultation on the Review of Building Regulations Part M (Access and Use) to make provision for a changing places toilet in certain buildings

The Minister of State for Local Government and Planning, Peter Burke, TD, invites submissions, observations and comments on a proposed amendment to the Building Regulations Part M (Access and Use) to make provision for a changing places toilet in certain buildings.

A changing places toilet offers larger supported facilities that address the needs of people for whom current accessible sanitary accommodation is inadequate. These facilities enable people with complex care needs to take part in everyday activities such as travel, shopping, family days out or attending a sporting event.

Currently there is no provision for a changing places toilet in publically accessible buildings in Ireland. The needs of a proportion of the population will be met by the provision of this sanitary facility in large publically accessible buildings and spaces.

In support of Government policy on advancing the rights and inclusion of people with disabilities, in December 2020, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage established a Working Group to examine the provision of a changing places toilet in certain buildings.

The Working Group has now recommended the types and sizes of buildings where a changing places toilet should be required, along with the technical requirements (equipment, room size and layout) of a changing places toilet.

To enable focused input into the technical aspects of the Draft proposals, the Department is interested in your views prior to finalisation.

General submissions and comments on the review should be sent by email to buildingstandards@housing.gov.ie

Submissions and comments relating to specific technical matters or relating to the proposed revisions to Technical Guidance Document M (Access and Use) should be submitted on the Template for Submissions only and sent by email to buildingstandards@housing.gov.ie

Submissions and comments on the draft Technical Guidance Document M (Access and Use) should only relate to the red coloured text.

The closing date for the receipt of submissions and comments is no later than 5:00 p.m. on 12 May, 2022.

All submissions and comments submitted to the Department for this purpose are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2014, and the European Communities (Access to Information on the Environment) Regulations 2007- 2014, and Data Protection legislation.

Personal, confidential or commercially sensitive information should not be included in your submission and it will be presumed that all information contained in your submission is releasable under the Freedom of Information Act 2014.

Please note that the Department may publish a summary of the responses received.

A privacy statement relating to any personal data that may be provided is available for download under the Documents link above.

SIGNED S.I. Building Regulations (Part M Amendment) Regulations 2022

Technical Guidance Document M - Access and use 2022