COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, March 14, 2022

QUESTION NO. 12

QUESTION: Councillor Eoin Ó Broin

To ask the Chief Executive when council might receive a report on the feasibility study being carried out into the installation of public toilets as agreed at the October 2020 meeting of council.

REPLY:

The feasibility study requested on the provision of public toilets was discussed by the Council at a time when access for the public to toilet facilities at cafes, restaurants and bars was not available due to Covid-19 restrictions and measures. 

These restrictions no longer apply, and public access is available to all of those facilities which have been traditionally open to the public.  Information available on-line in relation to publicly accessible toilets indicates that there are many options available in all town and village centre locations in the county.

Preliminary costings had been prepared on the provision of public toilets and these varied depending on the type of facility which might be provided and lie in a range which starts at around €50,000 per year for a single person, temporary pay-as-you-go type unit.  A more permanent facility which would cater for more than one user at a time would involve a capital cost to put it in place as well as an ongoing cost to service and maintain it and would be expected to cost circa €150,000 per unit to develop and approximately €25,000 per year to maintain it.  It had been suggested that multiple units should be provided in each urban centre, and this would obviously multiply the unit costs.  We have had a brief examination of siting, services and potential levels of usage.   

The likely costs, given above even though they are rough estimates, are very high and cannot be justified bearing in mind the lack of real need for them.

Figures given do not factor in the need to get connections to water and sewer from Irish Water and the likely cost of these.

The move in the recent past has been away from the provision and the closing of this type of facility where it is open because they are difficult to maintain and attract Anti-Social Behaviour.  The Council will be investing substantially in the provision of coffee shop facilities in parks which will include the provision of toilets.

Provision of public toilets is no longer needed; it was a particular need that arose during Covid and the Council is no longer recommending to continue with this feasibility study.