7 September 2024, Saturday
By Mary Bermingham
mary@TheCork.ie
There is a little publicised Public toilet on the right side of the Grand Parage Public library. Photo: TheCork.ie
Social Democrats Councillor and Cork South Central general election candidate Pádraig Rice has put down a motion for Monday’s City Council meeting that calls for three new public toilets each year for the next five years.
Cllr Pádraig Rice said
“Public toilets are an important public service that the City Council has completely neglected. That is why I have introduced this motion calling for more public toilets in the city.
“Places like the Lough badly need a public toilet. Parents bring their children to the playground, but there are no toilets. It makes no sense. More public toilets would really benefit not just parents and children but also many older people and people with disabilities.
“The lack of public toilets was really highlighted during the pandemic. There was an issue with people urinating on the lanes by the Lough. But instead of installing a toilet to solve the problem, the Council put up a gate! You couldn’t make it up.
“We need accessible public toilets across the city. Everyone should have access to a toilet.
“Most other European cities are capable of providing these essential public services. Paris, for example, has, on average, 6 public toilets per square km. It shouldn’t be beyond our ability to manage a network of public toilets.
“In the 1980s, Cork City had 14 public toilets. Given how much the city has grown, we should have a similar number now—if not more.
“The public toilets that do exist, like the one on Grand Parade, are poorly advertised. Many locals don’t know they are there – what hope does someone visiting the city have? The Council need to put up better signs.
“My motion calls for three new toilets per year over the next five years. I have asked for a dedicated line in the next budget to make sure this happens.”
Text of motion
“Public Toilets
Cork City Council agrees that the city needs more public toilets.
The Council, therefore, agrees that three new public toilets should be added to the city each year for the next five years. This will be funded from a new budget line in the upcoming Cork City Council budget.”