FIVE NEW secondary schools from across Ireland have contacted the Department of Education to request permission to install gender-neutral toilets for students.
The five schools have not been identified.
According to a report from The Sunday Independent, the DoE has received “at least” five requests of this type.
The department also confirmed that proposals are also in place for a new primary school featuring toilets without any specific gender.
A spokesperson told the publication: "While the department does not maintain a list of such requests, we can state that there are five schools at least that have specifically requested or engaged proactively with the department on the inclusion of gender-neutral toilets in specific building projects.
"All five schools in question are post-primary schools.
"The schools involved are at design development stage and it is too early in the process to identify them in that context," they added.
The DoE spokesperson also confirmed they were looking at several “potential design solutions” for a new primary school featuring toilets in "self-contained units outside the teaching space, which will be accessible to all".
These toilets would be accessible to any pupils in the school, as opposed to the standard model featuring separate toilets for boys and girls.
