Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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128. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the position regarding the Departmental working group that was set up to investigate potential amendments to building regulations to require changing places (details supplied) in suitable public buildings; the proposed structure of the public consultation and if a timeline can be provided for its completion. [3301/22]

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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294. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his views on providing fully accessible changing places and toilet facilities in all publicly accessible in Department buildings to offer persons with disabilities and carers a network of equipped spaces to take care of personal hygiene in safety and comfort. [2544/22]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 and 294 together.

The Building Regulations apply to the design and construction of all new buildings (including dwellings) and to certain works to existing buildings. They are subject to ongoing review in the interests of safety and the well-being of persons in the built environment and to ensure that due regard is taken of changes in construction techniques, technological progress and innovation.

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. Part M aims to foster an inclusive approach to the design and construction of the built environment. While the Part M requirements may be regarded as a statutory minimum level of provision, the accompanying technical guidance encourages building owners and designers to have regard to the design philosophy of universal design and to consider making additional provisions where practicable and appropriate.

In December 2020, my Department established a Working Group specifically to examine the 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.

The plenary Working Group has met six times to date, in addition to a number of sub-group meetings. Draft documentation, which includes draft Building Regulations (Part M Amendment) Regulations, draft Technical Guidance Document M – Access and Use and a Regulatory Impact Analysis, is currently being finalised to support a public consultation on the matter shortly.

Finally, it should be noted that Part 3 of the Disability Act 2005 places an obligation on public bodies to make their buildings and services accessible. Section 25 states that 'a public body shall ensure that its public buildings are as far as practicable, accessible to persons with disabilities' and requires public bodies to apply Part M retrospectively to the public areas of public buildings. Section 25 states that where Part M is amended, public buildings shall be brought into compliance with any amendments not later than ten years after the commencement of that amendment.