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Changing Places: Murphy pledges new regulations for better toilet facilities

Muscular Dystrophy UK Interior of a changing places toilet facilityMuscular Dystrophy UK
All shopping centres, supermarkets, sports and arts venues will have to have at least one changing place from 2021

Finance Minister Conor Murphy has pledged to make large accessible toilets for severely disabled people mandatory for new buildings in NI.

Known as Changing Places, the facilities include changing benches, hoists, privacy screens and space for two carers.

It follows a similar move in England.

The Department of Finance said the minister was committed to amending building regulations as soon as possible.

"Work is under way to make the necessary changes to the technical guidance of the regulations to make Changing Places Toilets a requirement in new buildings that meet the criteria," the department added.

Some councils in Northern Ireland have no changing places within their public facilities.

Mr Murphy told the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday that the development marks an important step in dignity and equality.

Christine McClements
Christine McClements said several thousand people and their carers would benefit from the changing places

Campaigner Christine McClements, whose daughter has a severe disability, has been appointed to the technical working group.

She said she was thrilled by the announcement and that it "will make the biggest difference to the lives of severely disabled people, also their carers and their family members".

Current facilities curtailed what disabled people and their carers can do, including how far they can travel, she added.

"To have the same safe, dignified, convenient toileting arrangements that everybody else enjoys is just going to be huge," she told BBC News NI.