No Wait Card Bill to be introduced into the Dáil for access to toilets for people with chronic and invisible illnesses
No Wait Card Bill to be introduced into the Dáil for access to toilets for people with chronic and invisible illnesses - The Labour Party
Tomorrow, Thursday 15th January, the Labour Party will introduce a bill into the Dáil to create legal standing to No Wait Cards for people with chronic and invisible illnesses and who are in urgent need of toilet facilities.
Labour’s 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.
‘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 critical support 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.
Speaking in advance of introducing the Bill, Labour TD for Kildare South Mark 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, while addressing any concerns that premises may have about allowing the use of their facilities.
“Introducing this Bill is an important step to raise awareness for people with chronic health conditions, and to make sure that public spaces are inclusive and responsive to the needs of everyone who uses them. I want to thank Maria Crowe from County Kildare who initially contacted me on the problems and experiences she was having and on her campaign to establish a No Wait Card Ireland. I hope Government will work with us to bring about this change and improve the life choices of many thousands of Irish people.”