Calls for city council to increase awareness of available public toilet facilities 

Progress in developing more public toilets in the city has been welcomed but calls have been made for Cork City Council to raise more awareness about the available facilities in the city.

A lengthy discussion on loos took place at a council meeting on Monday, ahead of which councillors were presented with a report on the progress in implementing the local authority’s public toilet policy, which councillors agreed upon in May 2021.

The policy outlined short-, medium-, and long-term initiatives for the provision of public toilets in the city centre and the wider city area.

Council strategy 

Chief among the short-term initiatives was the opening up of the North Main St Shopping Centre toilets to the public, which was completed on June 29, 2021.

The facility is supervised and includes men’s and women’s toilets, an accessible toilet, and a baby-changing unit and toilet.

The short-term initiatives also included a commitment to make toilet facilities available within Cork city public buildings for members of the public to access, which the report stated is now complete.

It added that the council has an ongoing social media campaign to increase awareness of public toilet facilities within the city.

Among the medium-term policies was a commitment to deliver a new toilet facility on Grand Parade, which has also been completed.

“Adjacent to the Cork City Library was identified as the location to provide a public toilet facility on the Grand Parade.

“This facility provides a much-needed accessible toilet and baby changing unit, as well as one unisex toilet.

“The toilets are accessed directly via an entrance on the Grand Parade, which is separate to the main City Library entrance.

“The toilets are supervised at all times, with contactless pay for use in place (50c),” the report stated.

Another medium-term aim was to provide public toilets at key recreational and amenity areas.

The report stated that public toilets facilities are now provided in the English Market, Marina Park, Bishopstown Park, Tramore Valley Park, Ballincollig Regional Park, and Fitzgerald’s Park.

The council is also at a preliminary stage of a proposal to implement a ‘Leeside Leithreas’ sticker scheme which may be incorporated into the age-friendly ‘Take a Seat’ initiative.

“The Take a Seat initiative proposes that a small number of existing outdoor seating at restaurants and pubs are set aside for older visitors to the city who wish to rest and relax during their city centre experience.

“The visitor would not have to purchase from the participating premises and could avail of a glass of water and use of the toilet if required.

“Any plan for the use of the toilets would need to have a subtle approach with the focus very much on seating,” the report stated.

In the longer term, the policy is that all public realm projects must “consider/include the provision of public toilets in their proposals”.

Progress welcomed 

Speaking at the council meeting, Green Party councillor Oliver Moran, who sought the update on the public toilet policy, said it is “heartening” to see the strategy being progressed “and being progressed in a very logical fashion”.

Mr Moran admitted, as did several other councillors, that he was unaware the new toilet facilities on Grand Parade had been opened and asked if the council could do more to increase awareness of the facilities.

This was echoed by other councillors, including Sinn Féin councillor Mick Nugent.

“We have a strategy, I just think we need to promote it and we need to deliver on it as fast as we can,” he said.

Independent councillor Paudie Dineen asked if the council could look at erecting signage.

Fianna Fáil councillor John Sheehan, who is also a GP, welcomed the progress made to date on what he described as “a very important issue”.

“It’s encouraging to see progress being made because it is, really, a very important issue.

“If we’re going to make our city more user friendly in terms of elderly, in terms of the public space and people coming into it, then we need to provide the facilities,” he said.

The council’s director of services for roads and environment operations, David Joyce, said he would take the requests for greater marketing and signage into consideration.