Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 December 2020
311. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider changing the planning guidelines to ensure that all new public buildings are required to have changing place toilet facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40312/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Planning system primarily deals with considering the appropriate location, impact on the wider environment, form and phasing of development. The purpose of the Building Regulations is primarily to protect the health, safety and welfare of people in and around buildings. While both codes deal with the built environment, they have interrelated but separate roles.
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.
Part M aims to ensure that regardless of a persons age, size or disability:
- new buildings other than dwellings are accessible and usable;
- extensions to existing buildings other than dwellings are, where practicable, accessible and useable;
- material alterations to existing buildings other than dwellings increase the accessibility and usability of existing buildings, where practicable;
- certain changes of use to existing buildings other than dwellings increase the accessibility and usability of existing buildings where practicable; and
- new dwellings are visitable.
Part M of the Building Regulations 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.
