Anne Rabbitte (Fianna Fail)

Today, Wednesday, 19 November, is World Toilet Day. We know just how vital it is that each and every one of us has equal access to clean toilets that are appropriate to our individual needs. Going to the toilet is something all of us have to do. We all need to be able to go to places without worrying about going to the loo. It is natural for most of us to go out and not think about it, but for people with complex disabilities, a lot of thought has to go into it. In 2008, Ann Healy started an Irish campaign for inclusive, accessible toilets. It took from 2008 to 2024 to deliver on universal guidelines for changing places in Ireland. Today, Ireland only has only 34 registered accessible, inclusive toilets, which is hard to believe, for people with additional needs who want to make journeys around the country. They are quite restricted in how they can travel. In the past month, Roscommon Community Sports Park, joined the list. Ladies Beach in Salthill is also on it.

I raise this matter because access and inclusion are fundamental human rights. While the guidelines have been printed and a charitable organisation has been set up - I commend it on the work it has done in driving the campaign to where it is today - Ann Healy is still campaigning, along with Aaron Daly, Annette Monaghan and Aisling McNiffe. On a day like today, it is incumbent on us to have a conversation with the Minister, whether it be the Minister for disability, or for housing and local government, as to how we can empower businesses, local authorities and the HSE to make all of their buildings accessible and inclusive for the right of going to the toilet.