A fully accessible public toilet for Letterkenny is on target for delivery by the end of March.
The ‘Changing Places’ facility is being built in the Letterkenny Retail Park, between New Look and Dealz.
The toilet offers extra space and equipment for people with complex and multiple impairments/disabilities that require the help of up to two carers.
The new public convenience facilities will also include two toilets for the general public.
Donegal County Council has said that the project will be completed between the middle and end of March 2024.
Cllr Jimmy Kavanagh, who launched the call for the facility in 2021, has warmly welcomed the progress.
Ongoing construction works at the new public convenience facilities at Letterkenny Retail Park, Paddy Harte Road
Cllr. Kavanagh put a motion to the council in October 2021 asking that they apply for funding for a changing places facility in Letterkenny from the “disability participation and awareness fund.”
€55,000 was subsequently awarded from that fund and a further €16,000 was secured more recently from the minor tourism fund.
“This has made it possible for the council to progress their plans and a site at the retail park has now been agreed for the facility, two other toilets will also be provided at the same site, which is great news for the many shoppers to the retail park who have been calling for public toilets in the area for years, and I and several other councillors have raised the issue at council on many occasions,” Cllr Kavanagh said.
Councillor Kavanagh continued; “The changing places facility will make a huge difference for people with complex disabilities and to their families and carers, on many occasions the lack of such a facility means that disabled people often have use toilet floors for changing and often it means that families just simply cannot go to places because facilities are not available.
“Changing places facilities provide the necessary safe, fit for purpose environment necessary to take care of the needs and protect the dignity of the person, and allow people who need such facilities to attend and enjoy more community activities and events.”