For thousands of people across Ireland, life isn't as simple as it seems. When living with conditions such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, painful bladder syndrome, spinal injuries, or with a stoma, urgent access to a toilet can mean the difference between independence and isolation.
On July 9, organisations including Crohn’s & Colitis Ireland, the Irish Cancer Society, the Rotunda Hospital, Spinal Injuries Ireland, Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, and the No Wait Card Ireland campaign will come together to mark No Wait Card Awareness Day, calling for greater public understanding of the challenges faced by people who urgently need toilet access.
The campaign also hopes to build support for the proposed Equal Status (Access to Toilet Facilities) Bill, which would, for the first time, give legal recognition to No Wait Cards in Ireland.
Campaign founder Maria Crowe, who lives with interstitial cystitis, a painful bladder syndrome, says the campaign grew from her own experience of becoming increasingly isolated.
She explains the reasons behind her starting No Wait Card Ireland:
“My condition got a lot worse. I was finding it difficult to go anywhere due to the lack of public toilets. After COVID, a lot of retailers hadn’t opened their facilities back up, so I was finding myself more and more isolated at home. I thought to myself: I have to do something about it, or else I won’t be able to go anywhere.”
After discovering similar schemes operating in the United Kingdom and parts of the United States, Maria questioned why Ireland didn't have the same recognition for hidden illnesses.
She approached Labour TD Mark Wall, who also lives with Crohn’s disease, to seek legislative support.
“I contacted him because I knew he had Crohn’s himself. From the first meeting he was on board, he wrote the proposed bill and introduced it into the Dáil in January.”
Public toilets directional sign in Dublin city centre. Derick P. Hudson, Shutterstock
At present, No Wait Cards issued by organisations including Crohn’s & Colitis Ireland and Spinal Injuries Ireland have no legal standing, meaning businesses are not legally obliged to allow card holders to use staff toilet facilities.
The proposed legislation would require retail businesses with staff toilets to allow access in certain emergency circumstances where no public toilet is immediately available, while also protecting businesses from additional liability.
For Maria, her concern lies with the lack of awareness.
“There is no bladder card. A couple of people have recognised my issue, but I have been refused a few times, so what I thought was, July 9 should be the day for No Wait Card Awareness, specifically for people with bladder difficulties.”
“This card means freedom. It means we can go places. Without this card I am just stuck at home.”
Maria believes better public toilet provision would also significantly improve life for people with hidden conditions.
“If there were public toilets everywhere and customer toilets for large retailers, I wouldn’t have a huge issue. When you have a condition like this, you don’t need the stress. This card is a simple thing. We just need somewhere to go to the toilet. We just need a bit of understanding.”
Crohn’s & Colitis Ireland says it has spent years advocating for greater awareness and acceptance of the No Wait Card and welcomes the growing national campaign.
Victoria Spillane, Interim Chief Operating Officer of the organisation, who has lived with Crohn’s disease for 28 years and has had a stoma for more than 15 years, says urgency is simply part of everyday life for many people.
“For people living with Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis, and those living with a stoma, urgency isn’t a convenience, it’s a daily reality. The No Wait Card is a small but vital tool that helps people navigate that reality with dignity.”
Among those who understand that reality is Terri Brannigan, who was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease when she was just 15 years old.
“We thought it was food poisoning or a bug but it just continued on for months. At 15, you don’t want to be talking about going to the bathroom. It became chronic very quickly. I was going to the bathroom maybe 20 to 30 times a day. I was scared to leave the house.”
Terri received her No Wait Card at the age of 20 after learning about it through her IBD nurses.
“I was apprehensive about using it at the start, but if I need to go to the bathroom, I need to go to the bathroom right now. I got braver the older I got and the more I used it.”
Following stoma surgery at 29, Terri decided to become an advocate for greater awareness.
“A lot of people associate having a stoma with being older and I really felt there was no visibility for people in my demographic.”
This is when Terri became more vocal about IBD and her stoma.
“I want people to know that people with stomas can live a happy and full life.”
Despite carrying a No Wait Card, she says she has still encountered refusals.
“Usually people don’t let me use the bathroom because they’re afraid to get in trouble, but since I’ve had the card people tend to be more lenient. I’ve gotten more pushback over the last couple of years, especially at concerts.”
She recalls being challenged while waiting to use an accessible toilet during Oasis’ concert last summer.
“There was a woman behind me saying, ‘You don’t need this queue, you’re not entitled to it.’"
She continued:
“I had my Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyard around my neck. I told her I had a stoma and she continued to argue with me. I openly and proudly wear my Sunflower lanyard now. A lot of the time I’m doing it to highlight it for others who may be embarrassed to be as vocal as I am.”
This experience reinforced to Terri the importance of raising awareness around invisible disabilities.
Terri also supports Mark Wall’s proposed bill.
“I feel it needs to be brought in and highlighted formally. Especially in the summer months when there’s loads of outdoor events going on, it’s harder to gain access to public toilets.”
Public bathroom, Stephen's Green, Dublin, Ireland. Derick P. Hudson, Shutterstock
The issue has become increasingly relevant amid concerns over the future of public toilet facilities, including proposals to remove facilities at St Stephen’s Green.
“Anybody who has IBD, Crohn’s, Colitis or any condition of that sort, I can guarantee they all know where public toilets are. To remove them can be jarring. It’ll put a lot of stress on people with these issues.”
Spinal Injuries Ireland, which automatically provides No Wait Cards to patients experiencing bowel or bladder dysfunction following spinal injury, is also backing the campaign.
Chief Executive Fiona Bolger says many people live with hidden disabilities that are not immediately visible. She explains that people who are walking after a life-changing injury often live with hidden injuries such as bowel and bladder dysfunction:
“People should not need to describe their medical condition in order to access toilet facilities promptly. A national No Wait Card would remove the need for describing their condition, resulting in less embarrassment.”
For Maria Crowe, however, July 9 is ultimately about encouraging conversation rather than politics.
“I don’t want the day to be political. I want awareness.”
She is encouraging people across Ireland to share their own experiences using the #NoWaitCardIreland hashtag.
“I want people to share their stories about toilet refusal, lack of toilets and what it would mean for them to have a No Wait Card. The more awareness we have around this issue, the more chances we have for freedom.”
