This article is from page 4 of the 2014-02-25 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
PUBLICANS in Ennistymon may soon be shutting their toilet doors to non-paying members of the public as frustration over the last of public toilets in the town reaches break point.
Clare County Council say that although it recognises the need for public toilets in the town – which caters for hundreds of thousands of tourists over the summer season – it does not currently have finances available to provide them.
While local publicans say they will continue to provide services for the public for the time being, many premises face significant water and electricity charges, all of which are being added to by tourists using their facilities.
“My toilets are at the back of the bar and I have people, young and old, coming through the bar every day to use them. It is unfair, and more then that it’s not good for the town. It is not encouraging anyone to stop and spend money in Ennistymon,” said Linda Youdell of Daly’s Bar.
“I have water charges here that are phenomenal. It costs money, I have to pay my council rates and other expenses. Here we are in 2014 and we cant even offer a basic facility to tourists.”
According to Joan Tierney of Cooley’s House in Ennistymon, some members of the public are rude to staff when they use their toilets for free. “I think that it is a absolute disgrace. In the summer time especially we get people walking in off the street every day. It doesn’t look good for the town,” she said.
“Water chargers are high and while I would never want to refuse someone access to the toilet, some people act as if it is their right [to use the toilet]. I know it sounds petty but people flush the toilet, the use the soap and the hand drier and it all costs money.”
The matter was raised at this months North Clare Area meeting of Clare County Council by local Cllr Bill Slattery (FG).
“The publicans are getting fed up of people coming into their premises and using it as a toilet. The cost of water is going up and it can be expensive in 10 or 20 people come in off the bus, use the facilities and then leave without paying for anything,” he said.
Public toilets were closed in Ennistymon more than 10 years ago because they were not wheelchair friendly. Local publicans approached Clare County Council in the past, offering to provide toilet facilities to the public in return for a contribution to running costs.
This proposal was turned down by the local authority.