Dublin Airport has opened a purpose-built 'sensory room' for passengers with autism, dementia, cognitive impairment and other special needs.

The room is located after security in Terminal 2, before the 400 boarding gates.

It can be also be accessed via Terminal 1, and is free for departing passengers, with 60-minute sessions available by calling 01 704-7783 or emailing prm@ocsireland.com in advance of travelling to the airport.

Sensory rooms aim to provide relaxing environments for passengers who may feel overwhelmed in busy and unfamiliar airport surroundings.

Dublin Airport's new addition includes calming music, mood lighting, a bubble wall, digital displays, tactile panels, textured flooring, spaghetti-like trails of fibre optic lights on the floor and a variety of games, the airport says.

Depending on requirements, the space can be transformed from a relaxing environment to a stimulating interactive space full of light, colour and sound.

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“We are confident that the introduction of the Sensory Room will make it even easier and less stressful for passengers in need of some assistance on their journey through the airport,” said its Customer Experience Manager, Liz Kavanagh.

The room was designed together with Adam Sensory Zones, an Irish company specialising in bespoke Multi-Sensory and Soft Playrooms.

It comes after Shannon Airport became the first airport in Europe to introduce a sensory room for passengers in 2017 (see video below).

Both airports allow passengers worried about travel to book tours in advance, and frontline staff receive disability awareness training.

Shannon, Dublin and Cork Airports all operate lanyard schemes where wristbands or lanyards are provided in advance to passengers with hidden disabilities.

Lanyards and wristbands are generally provided on production of a short note from a GP confirming a person has a relevant diagnosis.

This September, Sligo's Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa unveiled the first 'sensory hotel bedroom' in Ireland, a refurbished suite with features like mood lighting, aura projections, massage rollers and a mobile sensory trolley - all designed to offer children with autism, ADHD and other disabilities, "a non-stressful stay".

The hotel is owned by Ireland's iNua Collection, which will soon launch several others - at Radisson hotels in Athlone, Limerick and Cork, as well as the Kilkenny Hibernian, The Hillgrove in Monaghan and the Tullamore Court Hotel.

The rooms will be available to book by the end of February 2020, it has said.

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