The Parliament Buildings in Stormont, Northern Ireland, have become the third parliament in the UK to install a Changing Places toilet.
The toilet was officially launched on October 5. Children from Glenveagh Special School took a tour of Parliament Buildings, before visiting the new facility with Mencap in Northern Ireland’s director Maureen Piggot, Mencap’s chief executive Mark Goldring, and Northern Ireland Assembly chief executive Trevor Reaney.
Changing Places toilets are already installed in the Scottish and Welsh parliament buildings. Standard accessible toilets do not meet the needs of thousands of people, including those with profound and multiple learning disabilities. Changing Places toilets include a height-adjustable changing bench, a hoist and plenty of space.
Rebecca Shea, campaigns manager for Mencap in Northern Ireland, said: “This is a fantastic step forward for the campaign. So many people choose to limit family outings or are unable to go out at all as the appropriate facilities for their loved ones are not available. “The introduction of a Changing Places facility within Parliament Buildings, a popular tourist attraction, will provide a fully accessible experience for so many people living in and visiting Northern Ireland.” There are now more than 300 registered Changing Places toilets in the UK.
