Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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367. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the position regarding the Departmental working group being set up to investigate the possible amendments to building regulations to require changing places (details supplied) in suitable public buildings. [38641/20]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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New buildings and extensions or material alterations to existing buildings must comply with the legal minimum performance standards set out in the Building Regulations 1997 - 2019. In this context, the Building Regulations (Part M Amendment) Regulations 2010, and the accompanying Technical Guidance Document M – Access and Use (2010), which came into effect on 1 January 2012, set out the minimum statutory requirements that a building must achieve in respect of access.

In relation to the Deputy’s specific query, my Department proposes to establish a Working Group to examine the inclusion of a provision in relation to a ‘Changing Places Facility’, (commonly known as a ‘Changing Places Toilet’), in Part M/TGD M of the second schedule of the Building Regulations. In this regard, my Department has recently written to a number of relevant stakeholders to invite their organisations to participate in the Working Group.

The Terms of Reference for the Working Group include, assisting in the preparation of a draft documentation for public consultation (this will include an examination of costs and preparation of a regulatory impact analysis). The Working Group will then review submissions received, post public consultation and will support the finalisation of a revised draft Part M/TGD M.

It is proposed to hold an initial introductory meeting of the Working Group in the coming weeks.