Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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401. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the percentage of both primary and secondary schools that provide unisex wheelchair accessible toilets for both students and staff, by county, in tabular form, noting that the facilitation of unisex wheelchair accessible toileting facilities allows for assistance by a special needs assistant of either gender; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25097/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My department's Building Regulations offer clear guidance on the provision of accessible facilities. This guidance stipulates that where sanitary facilities are provided, they should either be universally accessible or, alternatively, specific universally accessible facilities must also be included. The relevant guidance document, Technical Guidance Document (TGD) Part M, was introduced in 1991. All subsequent new school building works undertaken since then must comply with this requirement.

Accessible WCs can be designed for independent users or for users requiring assistance (often referred to as "assessed users"). The Building Regulations requirement for providing assessed accessible WCs, applicable to certain building types, was specifically introduced in the most recent version of TGD Part M, dated 2022. However, the Department of Education & Youth had previously introduced the concept of assisted WCs in their 2014 guidelines for sanitary services.

Historically, the Department has provided general guidance regarding the provision of universal toilets, aligning with the relevant Building Regulations in force at the time. School authorities have responsibility for the practical operation of their school buildings which takes account of these requirements for approved new construction. It is open to schools which require funding for UAWCs to support their enrolments to make an application under the Department's Additional School Accommodation scheme or if urgently required, the Emergency Works Scheme.

While the information requested by the Deputy is currently not available, my Department is currently carrying out a national Energy and Condition survey of all schools. It has already been completed across schools in five counties and the remaining counties are due for completion by mid-2026. The subsequent analysis of this significant amount of data will take some time but will help determine priorities going forward in relation to retrofit and refurbishment projects. This overall process is particularly valuable in facilitating a proportionate assessment of a school’s accommodation upgrade needs relative to all other schools and allow an effective prioritisation of capital investment.