09-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
‘It makes no sense whatsoever' – public toilets at the top of Grafton Street to be closed
In a report to Dublin city councillors, Barry Woods, Head of Waste Management Services, said the unit – which has been operating from 10am to 6pm, seven days a week – was originally intended as a short-term arrangement during the pandemic.
The council has been spending nearly €400,000 a year to keep the toilets – the only public facility in the city centre – running since their installation in 2020.
'Usage has dropped significantly to 1,500 users per week from its peak in 2021, and the current operator for this unit is ceasing trading,' the report states.
'For these reasons, Dublin City Council intends to remove this temporary public toilet at the top of Grafton Street shortly.'
The council says it is now looking at new ways to provide public toilet services in the city.
In 2023, the council invited companies to share ideas and held discussions with two providers.
One of the companies, which specialises in automated toilets, advised against placing unmanned public toilets in the city centre, warning that it could lead to anti-social behaviour.
As a result, the council's Waste Management team has been working with the Dublin Beta Projects team to explore other types of public toilet models.
These talks are still ongoing, and no final decision has yet been made on how the toilets will be managed or operated.
The council is currently considering two possible locations for modular toilet units: Princes Street North (just off O'Connell Street), and the site of the current temporary unit at the top of Grafton Street.
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If these locations are deemed suitable, a planning process known as Part 8 will begin, alongside the search for the preferred operator.
The council hopes to bring formal proposals to the South East and Central Area Committees by the third quarter of 2025.
As part of a longer-term plan, public toilets will also be included in the design of the new College Green Public Realm Scheme. This major city centre project is due to begin construction in 2027.
The council believes College Green is an ideal location for new public toilets, as there is sufficient space to accommodate different designs and operating models.
However, the news of the removal of the public toilets at the top of Grafton Street has been met with criticism from some public representatives, including Green Party councillor Hazel Chu.
'I wouldn't mind if they were taking it away and had a permanent solution ready to go, but the timeline is that it's going to be 2025, 2026 before it even goes to Part 8 planning,' she said.
'With Part 8, it could take a while, so you're talking about at least two years without public facilities.
'The numbers were 20,000 during COVID because there were no shops open.
'I know there's a cost, but all things cost money. You balance the cost against whether it's worth it – and it is worth it, because it's a public facility that people need.
'They claim it's dropped to 1,500 a week now. Fine, that is a drop, but what are you going to tell those 1,500 people who currently need that toilet? Hold it in?' she added.
She is bringing an emergency motion to the South East Area Committee meeting to keep the public toilets in place until a more permanent solution is found.
Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon also criticised the decision to close Dublin city centre's only public toilets, calling it a 'short-sighted move'.
Deputy Gannon, who represents Dublin Central, said: 'Closing the only public toilets in the middle of Dublin, just as we come into the busy summer season, makes no sense whatsoever.
'The need for public facilities is about to spike – more people will be out enjoying the city, attending events, and making use of our parks. We should be adding toilets, not taking them away.
'We've seen this same story play out again and again: an unwillingness to plan ahead; an allergy to practical public investment; and a government that doesn't understand how cities actually work,' he added.
