At the last Council meeting of the year, Councillor Clodagh Higgins proposed a motion calling for Galway City Council to undertake a feasibility study to provide for a Changing Places Accessible facility in the city.
Changing Places Accessible facilities differ from regular disabled toilets as they provide 12 square metres of floor space and include both a full room coverage ceiling tract hoist, a centrally located toilet bowl with space either side for transfers or assistants and a height-adjustable adult size changing bench.
The motion was supported unanimously by her Council colleagues. Councillor Higgins said that standard disabled toilets do not meet the needs of all people with complex disabilities.
“There are twelve Changing Places facilities in Ireland and eight of these are located in Dublin with the others located in Limerick, Offaly, Meath and Wexford. It is not good enough that a section of our community do not have similar facilities to those available in smaller towns and cities,” she added.
