Calls to improve toilets in St. Anne’s Park

OVER 1,000 people have signed a petition seeking more toilets and better toilets in St Anne’s Park. 

The petition, which was only launched last week, has quickly gathered the support of the local community, with Green Party Councillor Donna Cooney saying “we need more toilets and there are plans including accessible changing places facilities in St. Anne’s Park.”

Paddy Monahan, a Social Democrats representative for Raheny / Donaghmede, is leading the campaign.

Monahan said that St Anne’s Park is in “serious need” of improved public toilet facilities.

“The massive support that this campaign has received in a short space of time shows that there is widespread agreement on this,” he said.

“St. Anne’s is a beautiful place and we are extraordinarily lucky to have such an amenity on our doorstep, but its very popularity with people of all ages underscores the need for better public toilet facilities.”

“People with disabilities deserve better. Elderly people deserve better. Children playing for sports teams deserve better. Parents changing nappies deserve better. We all deserve better. It’s our park, after all.”

“We all deserve better; it’s our park after all,” he added.

Monahan noted that the park has only one set of public toilets which are comprised primarily of temporary structures and plastic portaloos at the Red Stables. 

“These facilities need to be overhauled completely,” he said. 

“Besides this, we need modern, accessible toilet facilities elsewhere in the park. The tennis courts, where there is already plumbing, seem like an obvious location; there could surely be other locations too.”

Monahan cited people with disabilities, older people and parents with infants and young children as those being “badly affected” by the current set-up. 

“Other parks in Dublin have excellent public toilets that are properly maintained – there is no reason this should not be replicated in St Anne’s Park.”

The issue was raised by Labour TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin in recent months, saying “for too long, Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Green Party have utterly ignored the value of public parks to the community. The practical demands like access to public toilets and litter bins are totally lacking.” 

“The issue of a lack of public toilets in Dublin has been well aired but the same goes for towns and villages throughout the country – there are plenty of toilet facilities in private ownership which are going unused and these should also be looked at.”

“Public toilets are essential and long overdue in communities throughout the country. Moreover, the provision of toilet and seating facilities is an equality issue; for older persons, those with young children, those without money to spend in private enterprise, and those with a disability, access to a toilet can be the difference between cities being accessible or not.”

“There has been a missed opportunity by the Government to have a vision for our public spaces – this has been highlighted by the pandemic. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have had years to look at how we use our community spaces, but no vision is forthcoming,” he remarked.

In June, it was reported that Dublin City Council were looking to reinvest the funds from the summer series gigs into improving toilets, but this has failed to materalise. 

Acts such as The Lumineers, Soft Cell, The 1975, Pulp and The Kooks performed gigs at the park over the summer, bringing in massive revenue, but this has not trickled down to improving the toilet facilities as of yet.

A spokesperson from Dublin City Council told the Irish Independent in June that all funds received in relation to these concerts will be used to fund the council’s annual works programme for parks improvements.

“These summer time events are enjoyed by thousands of concert goers each year and are a popular event on many people’s social calendar” the spokesperson said.

They claimed that “all funding received by Parks, Biodiversity and Landscape Services in relation to these concerts is used to fund our annual works programme for parks improvements,” and with the annual Budget meeting of Dublin City Council taking place next month, all eyes will be on the Council to see if they are willing to fund the improvements, or are merely looking to wipe their hands of the issue.