Lack of public toilets ‘keeping elderly out of Cork city centre’

Cork city has gone backwards in terms of public toilet provision, and the lack of facilities is keeping older people out of the city, a Cork advocate for the elderly has said.

Paddy O’Brien told The Echo: “I speak to senior citizens on a regular basis and they complain about this all the time - I can’t understand why there is such a shortage of this essential service.

“Some senior citizens tell me they are confined in their homes and would not venture into the city centre for lack of public toilets.

“Some cafes and restaurants do not allow customers to use toilet facilities, they have signs up saying they are for staff use only or very commonly the signs would say the toilets are out of order.” 

He added that there were six toilets in the city centre in 1960, and now the toilet on Grand Parade is the only one, saying “lots of elderly people might have had surgery that means they need the toilet more frequently, but we have a larger population and it’s backwards we’ve gone in terms of toilets.” 

It comes as Cork Social Democrats TD Pádraig Rice highlighted that the toilet in Fitzgerald’s Park was recently locked.

The council told The Echo: “Currently only one of the toilets in Fitzgerald's Park is operational. 

"Cork City Council are waiting on an ESB supply upgrade to operate both toilets”, adding that Sunday of last week the toilet was closed for “routine repairs”.

Mr Rice said: “I have been contacted several times recently by people concerned that there was no open toilet in Fitzgerald’s Park. 

"It’s not acceptable that there isn’t a public toilet available in a busy park with a playground.

“Public toilets are an important public service, and the City Council has a responsibility to provide and maintain them.

“Paris, for example, has, on average, six public toilets per square km. It shouldn’t be beyond our ability to manage a network of public toilets. There is an obvious lack of public toilets across the city.

“During my time on the Council, I put forward a motion that called for three new toilets per year over the next five years. I asked for a dedicated line in the budget to make sure this happens.” 

He welcomed that new permanent toilets are set to be installed near the Marina promenade, but said: “It is crucial that progress continues to be made in this area.”