New toilets won’t cope with demand, councillors warn

COUNCILLORS have called on Cork County Council to rethink plans for new public toilets in Kinsale, which they say will be too small to cope with the demand of both locals and visitors.

At a recent meeting of Bandon Kinsale Municipal District, councillors were unanimous about their concerns about the plans which would include two unisex toilets and one disability access public toilet. The public had until last week to make submissions on the plans.

Cllr Gillian Coughlan (FF) said the toilets are too small, especially with the amount of bus tours and cruise ships coming to Kinsale.

‘We need to cater to those people and we really need more toilets and there has been so much engagement on this on various public forums,’ said Cllr Coughlan.

Cllr Alan Coleman (Ind) agreed and said the response from the public so far has been negative and believes that the current proposal won’t get through.

‘The scale of them isn’t keeping with the demand from the likes of tour buses and accessing toilets for these groups is an issue,’ said Cllr Coleman.

Cllr Marie O’Sullivan (FG), who runs her own restaurant in the town, said the town is under pressure this time of year and that the plans for the new toilets has to be reviewed.

Outgoing Fine Gael Councillor Kevin Murphy said the proposed new toilets would be ‘totally unsuitable’ for the town, with the numbers of tourists coming there.

‘We demolished the old toilet and now we have a half-baked toilet coming which has no adequate space. We should ignore that heritage section regarding a stone wall in order to make more room for them,’ he said.

‘That wall is not culturally benefitting Kinsale.’

Municipal district officer Brian Dunne said there had been rationale for the number of toilets proposed but said the Council will review submissions made before work is undertaken.