01.19 Cllr Orla Leyden – “Changing Places “ Disability Strategy

02.19 Cllr. Tony Ward – One Home One Visit Policy

The Meetings Administrator read the following reply:

 The ‘Changing Places Ireland’ Campaign was set up by Inclusion Ireland in 2014 to lobby for the introduction of fully accessible toilets public places such as shopping centres, libraries and sporting arenas across the country.

Roscommon County Council’s statutory Building Control functions include technical assessment of Disability Access Cert applications for design compliance with Part M of the Building Regulations in all new builds where such regulations apply. The additional design requirements of the ‘Changing Places Ireland’ campaign are outside the minimum legal requirement.

Roscommon County Council as a public body is legally bound to comply with the requirements of the Disability Act. There has been considerable investment in providing improved disability access in public buildings in recent years including Áras an Chontae and the refurbished Arts Centre and the Council will continue to comply in making our buildings as accessible as possible for all users and compliant with the Part M building regulations.

Cllr. Leyden welcomed representatives from the Brothers of Charity who are an advocate group for the changing places campaign and part of a regional campaign to encourage local authorities and business owners to support the initiative. In welcoming the reply she said that this campaign is about challenging the status quo and asking Roscommon County Council to take a lead role by including the ‘Changing Places’ facilities in such public places as Lough Key. These facilities are fully accessible and include additional equipment which offer extra support to people with a range of disabilities so they can change with dignity and respect and standard disabled changing facilities did not meet the needs of all.  Plans for social days out for those with disabilities are dependent on the availability of appropriate facilities. Such facilities are available in the new Centre Parcs development.

Members supported the motion and raised the following points:

·         These facilities should be provided in every town to encourage disability groups or individuals to visit public spaces

·         The Council should write to the Minister to seek grant funding for community groups to install such facilities.

·         Changing Place facilities should be in all shopping centres

·         This should be included the planning guidelines for all new buildings and community facilities

·         People with disabilities entitled to the same facilities.

·         The cost of providing such facilities in a premises is estimated at €16,000

On the PROPOSAL of Cllr. Leyden

                 SECONDED by Cllr. Connolly

It was AGREED that Roscommon County Council supports the development of "Changing Places" facilities in private and public enterprises in the County, including it's own facilities to support the full participation of people with disabilities. Changing places facilities are fully accessible and include additional equipment which offer extra support to people with a range of disabilities so that they can avail of changing with dignity and respect.

On the PROPOSAL of Cllr. Keogh

SECONDED by Cllr. Leyden

It was AGREED to write to the Minister of Housing, Planning and Local Government and circulate this motion to all Local Authorities.