Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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328. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 128 and 294 of 25 January 2022, the position regarding the proposed public consultation on changing places requirements; and if a timeline for this consultation can be provided in addition to a detailed summary of the way that it is to be carried out. [6564/22]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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In December 2020, in support of Government policy on advancing the rights and inclusion of people with disabilities, I 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.

My Department is currently finalising preparations for the launch of a public consultation in the coming weeks which will seek submissions, observations and comments on a proposed amendment to the Building Regulations and associated Technical Guidance Document M – Access and Use to make provision for a changing places toilet in certain buildings.

To assist in this process, the following documents will be made available on my Department's website and it is expected that interested parties will have 3 months to submit their comments:

- Draft Building Regulations (Part M Amendment) Regulations 2022

- Draft Technical Guidance Document M – Access and Use 2022

- A Preliminary Regulatory Impact Analysis

- An easy read consultation document

- A template for submissions