Dublin café owner looking to put in place portaloos to highlight lack of public toilets in city
by Stephen McNeiceBusiness owners are warning that a lack of public toilets in Dublin city will be a significant problem once businesses start reopening as coronavirus restrictions are eased.
Smaller shops are due to be allowed reopen from June 8th, alongside the travel limit being extended to 20 kilometres.
However, restaurants and cafés aren't due to resume sit-down services until the end of June - prompting concerns over toilet facilities
Richard Hanlon, co-owner of Busyfeet and Coco café on South William Street in the city centre, told Newstalk Breakfast he wants to put two portaloos in the city centre to highlight the issue and urge the council to take action.
He explained: "We're going to enter phase two on June 8th, and this is going to increase significantly the movement of citizens within Dublin and attracted into the centre of Dublin city centre.
"One of the problems is we're going to have no access to public toilets.
"When we unlock on June 8th we have until June 28th... we have a 20-day period where there will be no public toilets available, and yet a mass amount of people in the city centre."
Richard said he's been working to find out how Dublin City Council and business group Dublin Town are planning to deal with the issue.
He said: "I made inquiries about this the other day, and I hadn't heard back.
"Late the other evening, I heard there was actually a meeting [this week] between the heads of the council and other interested parties - and at the end of that there was no funds or budget allocated to public toilets."
Richard has now launched a petition and fundraising campaign in a bid to fund two temporary toilets for a two-day period - but says council funding is 'urgently needed' to ensure longer-term facilities in the city.
He suggested the situation is going to cause "quite a few problems" for many people coming into the city centre - including groups such as pregnant women and older people.
With a significant drop in the usual footfall expected once the city centre starts reopening, Richard warned even more people will avoid the city if they don't feel comfortable the first time they travel in.
He observed: "The downward effect of that on the economy would be significant - that's what we need to [avoid].
"The first impression of people coming into the city centre will be the lasting impression on June 8th - and we won't be able to change that over the 20 days up until the 28th."