More toilets, bins and benches needed to facilitate outdoor culture

Crowds at a sunny Youghal beach: UCD academic said clear public health advice is needed to help people make safer decisions as the country emerges from lockdown and providing more public conveniences, bins and benches would also help. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Eating and meeting outdoors is lower risk but more public conveniences, bins, and benches are needed if Ireland is to embrace the outdoors this summer, according to a UCD academic.

Assistant professor of architecture, planning and environmental policy Orla Hegarty said meeting and eating outdoors was not without risk: “Outdoor is not no risk – it’s low risk. It’s still the same risk if you’re up close with people and in close conversation.