Ailis Healy & Ashleen Flynn open Changing Places facility at Connolly Station
New facility now available for rail customers who require assistance in using toilet facilities
Ailis Healy and Ashleen Flynn, members of the Changing Places Ireland, Working Group joined Iarnród Éireann’ s CEO, Jim Meade at Connolly Station today to open a new Changing Places facility at the station.
Changing Places facilities are designed to enhance the health, safety, comfort and dignity of people who may need extra support and additional equipment during personal care tasks. Changing Places facilities also offer added safety and support features for assistants. This is the first Changing Places on the Iarnród Éireann network, and the first in the Dublin 1 area.
The Changing Places Ireland campaign was first established in 2014. Changing Places facilities are different from standard accessible toilets. They have many features and additional equipment that enhance accessibility over standard accessible toilets. Changing Places facilities provide 12m² of floor space, and includes both a full room coverage ceiling track hoist, a centrally located toilet bowl with space either side for transfers or assistants, and a height-adjustable adult sized changing bench.
A further Changing Places toilet is also scheduled to open at Heuston station by the end of 2021. Changing Places toilets are also planned for Colbert station in Limerick and Plunkett station in Waterford as part of station development programmes.
Mary Lee, Information and Support Officer for Changing Places Ireland said “Changing Places Ireland welcomed the development of a Changing Places Toilet Facility at Connolly Station, a key site and important transport interchange in Dublin City. The provision of the completed facility will be an essential step in making our rail network more fully and easily accessible. The commitment by Iarnród Éireann to a further Changing Places Toilet Facility at Heuston Station by the end of 2021 and the further commitment to Changing Place Toilet Facilities for Colbert station in Limerick and Plunkett station in Waterford as part of the station development programmes is good news.”
Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann, Jim Meade said: “We are committed to making it as easy as possible for people with additional needs to choose to travel with us. Through our Disability Users Group we engage to find ways to improve the travelling experience in a proactive way and I believe that this Changing Places and the others that are planned will be very welcome for those that need them and for their families and assistants.”
Issued by:
Corporate Communications, Iarnród Éireann, Connolly Station, Dublin 1.
For further information, please contact Jane Cregan 086 8531098
