There are calls for the public toilets at a Waterford beach to be reopened after locals complained of campers pooing in public.

Waterford Councillor Eddie Mulligan said the toilets at Woodstown Beach were closed toward the end of 2018 after some incidents of vandalism.

He said he was “overwhelmed with calls” from residents after campers were seen urinating and defecating in public over the weekend.

“This weekend, even though the weather was bad on Sunday, there was a number of people camping on the beach,” he said,

“They were enjoying themselves, there was alcohol consumed so it got very noisy for people in the neighbourhood.

“Then I was getting calls from people who were out walking and they were witnessing people defecating and urinating in public.

“I was also getting calls about the amount of illegal dumping insofar as the rubbish bins were full and people were leaving excess rubbish adjacent to the bins and there were alcohol containers strewn around the lace.”

He said locals also complained that patches of grass were burned by campfires and barbecues.

“For an environmentally sensitive area, there were big burned rings left in the landscape and area surrounding the beach,” he said.

“I was overwhelmed with calls from residents and visitors to the beach in the aftermath of that.”

Cllr Mulligan said the toilets must now reopened and called for a greater Garda presence in the area to support local environmental inspectors.