‘Badly needed’ - Fresh call for public toilets at busy Kilkenny City location

A local councillor has called for the lack of toilet facilities in the Market Yard area of Kilkenny City to be addressed as a ‘matter of urgency’.

Fine Gael’s Cllr David FitzGerald believes new toilet facilities are required at the city centre location.

Mr FitzGerald has requested that the local authority identify a suitable location and funding for new toilet facilities to build and operate them.

“It is a constant complaint of hospitality businesses that their premises are being used as the public toilets of the city,” FitzGerald told the most recent meeting of the Kilkenny City Municipal District.

“We have public toilets on The Parade; we used to have toilets at the Market Yard, they were removed some years ago, and they’re badly needed,” the local councillor asserted.

“There is a badly needed public toilet facility in the Market Yard area.

"It’s a heavily trafficked part of the city, and I have no doubt that every elected member has been stopped at some stage to be taken to task for the lack of public toilet facilities,” he added.

“It’s long overdue; I know my colleague Cllr (John) Coonan has raised it on numerous occasions; I’m raising it again.

“I'm asking that we put a plan in place; I don’t expect things to happen overnight, but we are spending vast sums of money on Kieran Street, which is welcome,” Cllr FitzGerald explained, adding, “it’s as important as anywhere else.”

Senior Engineer with Kilkenny County Council, Stan Cullen, confirmed funding has been secured, and plans are in place; however, it’s at an “early stage” with no definitive dates at present.

In March, Kilkenny County Council revealed plans are afoot to install Changing Places toilet facilities in the city centre on the grounds of Kilkenny Castle.

Those works are due to be put out for tender later this year.

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