The Changing Places Ireland campaign, which aims to introduce fully accessible toilets to public places such as shopping centres, libraries and sporting arenas around Ireland, was established in 2014.

Changing Places facilities are different from mainstream accessible toilets in that they include both a hoist and a height-adjustable changing bench. They have been designed to put health, safety and dignity concerns of the person with a disability and the carer to the fore.

Parents are currently being forced to change their loved ones on bathroom floors because adequate facilities are not available in public places.

Standard disabled toilets do not meet the needs of all people with disabilities – and, indeed, other mobility issues including multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease and the elderly – as some people need extra facilities to allow them to use the toilet.

[printfriendly]