Reader's Blog: Lack of public toilets is an issue for tourists
What is it with Ireland and public toilets? On a recent visit to your beautiful country the one major issue I continually encountered while cycling about was the lack of public toilet facilities.
For example while visiting one of the “signature points” on the Wild Atlantic Way, the stunning Downpatrick Head in north Mayo, I expected the minimum facility one would expect at such an idyllic location was a toilet block. The nearest public toilets were a 30km cycle and then to find one of these toilets in the town of Ballina was a mission in itself as there are no signs indicating where these toilets might be located.
While in Ireland it was of interest to note that Fáilte Ireland are in the process of marketing the inner regions of Ireland; they’re calling it Ireland’s Hidden Heartland. Surely they won’t endeavour to make finding the public toilets there even harder than they do on the Wild Atlantic Way?
Might I conclude by suggesting that in the event that the local authorities can’t afford to build or maintain public toilets would it not be an idea to try and coax the numerous hospitality venues in the country to allow their toilets to become de facto public toilets? If this were to happen then Ireland could become the most toilet friendly nation in the world where tourist would be able to spend more of their ‘pennies’ with delight.
