Some people can’t wait – Labour Party launches No Wait Card Bill for people chronic and invisible illnesses
Some people can’t wait – Labour Party launches No Wait Card Bill for people chronic and invisible illnesses - The Labour Party
Kildare South and Labour Party TD Mark Wall has today launched a Bill which will give legal standing to No Wait Cards for people with chronic and invisible illnesses and who are in urgent need of a toilet.
‘No Wait Cards’ are issued by organisations such as Crohn’s & Colitis Ireland and Spinal Injuries Ireland and aim to empower individuals to request access to toilet facilities when urgency strikes. The card is a vital tool for many people with medical conditions such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease, which affects at least 40,000 people in Ireland, however, it has no legal standing in Ireland.
The Equal Status (Access to Toilet Facilities) Bill 2025 aims to change this by placing No Wait Cards on a statutory footing, ensuring that retail shops and businesses with staff toilets make them available to those who need them.
Deputy Wall said:
“For some people with a medical condition, they simply cannot wait until they get home to use a toilet. This is particularly serious for those with Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and the lack of access to a toilet can have a negative impact daily life. My Bill aims to offer a compassionate and practical solution, by placing No Wait Cards in legislation and ensuring shops and businesses with a staff toilet make them available to a person with a medical condition who is in urgent need.”
Maria Crowe, who lives with interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome shared her lived experience:
“As someone who has painful bladder syndrome and needs urgent access to toilets, having a No Wait Card would mean the end of explaining and justifying to shops why I need to use their toilet. It would also allow me to enjoy public events without the anxiety of looking for toilets or not attending at all.”
Victoria Spillane, interim Chief Operating Officer of Crohn’s & Colitis Ireland (CCI) said:
“CCI strongly supports the Equal Status (Access to Toilet Facilities) Bill 2025 and welcomes its introduction as a landmark moment for people living with chronic and invisible illnesses. This Bill acknowledges the urgent need for equitable access to toilet facilities for individuals with conditions such as Crohn’s Disease, ulcerative colitis, and those living with a stoma.
“This legislation is not solely about access to toilets – it is about recognising the lived realities of people with chronic conditions, and ensuring that public spaces are inclusive, respectful, and responsive to their needs. It affirms that dignity, health, and equality must be central to how we design and operate our communities.”
Link to Bill: https://labour.ie/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/EQUAL-STATUS-ACCESS-TO-TOILET-FACILITIES-BILL-2025.pdf