CORK County Council plans to provide free sanitary products in all its public buildings, including swimming pools, on a prioritisation basis, a meeting heard recently heard.
Fianna Fáil Cllr Gobnait Moynihan had raised a motion at the meeting of the local authority asking that free sanitary products be provided in all public buildings under their remit.
She said she had previously raised this motion in February 2021 and while there was some progress, nothing more had happened since.
‘At the time it got full support from the councillors in the chamber, but the executive was slow to move on it because they wanted guidelines on how to put the sanitary products in the toilets,’ said Cllr Moynihan.
‘In the meantime the library got approved for a grant and put the sanitary products in all the libraries around the county. There was no hassle and huge positivity coming towards the library service for providing this from schools and different voluntary groups too.’
Cllr Moynihan said she was wanted to commend the library service for ‘just getting on and doing it’.
‘Can we finish off the job and ensure that they are in all public buildings?’
Cllr Audrey Buckley (FF) seconded the motion, saying it’s a ‘no brainer’ and the cost is so minimal and, as a mum of teenage daughters, she said it’s very important to have access to these sanitary products.
Cllr Sheila O’Callaghan (FF) also commended the library service and said it’s a ‘simple enough request’ and said that period poverty is an issue these days.
Cllr Una McCarthy (FG) also supported the motions and said this should be a step to promoting equality and addressing the problem of period poverty.
‘I think it’s very important that Cork County Council are pro-active in supporting public health and equality,’ said Cllr McCarthy.
Cllr Gearoid Murphy (FF) acknowledged the work of his colleague, Cllr Moynihan, who he said has been championing this for many years and said it would be great to see it rolled out across all public buildings.
Council chief executive Moira Murrell said they will need to look at the costs and come up with a plan for rolling it out across all public buildings.
In a written reply to councillors, divisional manager Kevin Morey said Cork County Council will undertake an assessment of its remaining buildings and will introduce the provision of free sanitary products on a prioritisation basis on further buildings. He said the pilot project for the provision of free sanitary products in library branches was launched in autumn 2022.
