On 29 November, 2022 the Minister of State with responsibility for Planning and Local Government signed new regulations entitled Building Regulations (Part M Amendment) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 608 of 2022) making provision for a changing places toilet in certain buildings.  The operative date of the Regulations is 01 January, 2023, subject to the transitional periods cited.

Changing places toilets offer larger supported sanitary facilities that address the needs of people for whom current accessible sanitary facilities are inadequate. This new Regulation will tend to the needs of an important segment of our society. By the regulatory provision of this sanitary facility in certain buildings and spaces, we can ensure improved community participation and social inclusion.

The revised Regulations are accompanied by technical guidance in the form of the Building Regulations 2022 - Technical Guidance Document M – Access and Use, outlining how compliance with the updated requirements can be achieved in practice, the new regulations are here.