Galway County Councillor Evelyn Parsons has called on the Council to pilot a fully accessible toilet facility in Ballinasloe with access to suitable equipment like hoists and changing benches.
The Independent councillor proposed a motion for the facility which was seconded by Cllr Tim Broderick and agreed by the January plenary council.
Cllr Parsons has consistently raised the issue of public toilets in Ballinasloe since becoming a councillor.
She said that it is the harsh reality for thousands of children and adults with disabilities that they do not have access to toilet facilities with suitable equipment to meet their needs.
“They often endure the indignity of being changed on the floor of a public toilet or else avoid getting out and about, becoming isolated from their communities at home,” she said.
“There are approximately 640,000 people currently living with disabilities in Ireland, and we have an increasing elderly population and still there are only 20 or so Changing Places toilet facilities which promote inclusivity for persons with high dependency needs in the country.
“Persons living with disabilities are valuable members of our community too and it is not acceptable in this day and age that our current public toilet infrastructure does not recognise this.”
The councillor said that GCC needed to step up its implementation of the United Nations Convention of Rights of Persons Living with Disabilities.
The aim of the Convention is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.
