The 'shocking' lack of public toilets in Dublin city centre has to be addressed this summer, a Green Party councillor has said.
Kimmage-Rathmines Councillor Carolyn Moore says there are only four facilities across the city council area - including just two in the city centre.
The issue of public toilets in the capital is again on the agenda, as the summer months approach and coronavirus restrictions begin to be eased.
There was a big push for extra facilities last year so people could travel into the city and still have access to toilets while the likes of restaurants, pubs and shopping centres remained close.
Over 500 people have now signed an online petition calling for more public toilets for summer 2021.
Orlaith Delargy, who started the petition, says local authorities need to allow people enjoy their summer safely.
On Newstalk Breakfast, Cllr Moore said you can't ask people to come into the city centre without having public toilets available.
She said: “There are only four public toilets available throughout the entire Dublin City Council area.
"[There's] one in Sandymount - an automated one - one in Clontarf, and then two temporary toilets - a set at the top of Grafton Street, and some toilets at Jervis as well.”
She noted the latter two toilets were put in as a temporary measure due to the impact of the pandemic.
However, she believes those facilities - which are fully serviced - are the model the council should look at going forward.
She said: “The onus to provide security is what the council would see as one of the financial impediments to rolling out a proper range of public toilets.
“There are definitely security issues there, but there are a lot of providers at the moment of services around public facilities and conveniences. They take on board the security measures.
“I don’t really accept from the council the case that ‘sorry, it’s too much hassle.’”
She said automated units do have their place as well, but the serviced facilities are really the ones to consider.
She said her own inquiries have shown there used to be 26 public toilet facilities across the city.
However, most of those either shut down or fell into disrepair during the 80s and 90s.
In the wake of the petition and Cllr Moore's comments, Dublin's Lord Mayor Hazel Chu says the issue of public toilets is 'on the agenda' when she speaks to the council's chief executive later.
This is definitely on the agenda when I speak to the Chief Executive later. Well done @orlaithdelargy and @carolynmoore_ie on trying to get more public toilets. https://t.co/DvAV2N1I18
— Hazel Chu (@hazechu) March 30, 2021
