Changing Places in Stormont

Friday 14 October 2011

A fully accessible toilet at Parliament Buildings, Northern Ireland

A Changing Places toilet has been installed at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, in Northern Ireland.

The toilet was officially launched on 5 October. 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.

Standard accessible toilets do not meet the needs of thousands of people, including people 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, commented: “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. In Northern Ireland, locations for the facilities include George Best Belfast City Airport, Divis and the Black Mountain and Lisburn Civic Centre.

To find out more, email rebecca.shea@mencap.org.uk or visit the Changing Places campaign website