Achill councillor calls for beach toilets to be opened all year round

An Achill councillor says he will use his GMA fund to ensure that toilets are open all year round on Keel beach if Mayo County Council are agreeable.

Cllr Paul McNamara made the pledge at the monthly meeting of the Westport/Belmullet Municipal District where he expressed his frustration that there are currently no outdoor toilets open at any of Achill's Blue Flag beaches during the winter period.

“The public toilets are in Keel on the Sandybanks and it is my belief that they should be open. I have had numerous calls particularly in November because of the good spell of weather when we had days of 16 Degrees and a lot of day trippers in the parish. But for the goodwill of the businesses still open in the area people could not find any place to go to the toilet.

“It is essential we have public toilets in the lower part of the island going forward. We cannot have the amenities there and they are not open,” Cllr McNamara told the meeting.

The Fianna Fáil councillor was informed by officials from Mayo County Council that despite toilet facilities available at Keel beach, they are not open due to the lack of resources.

“We do provide it for the bathing season and even stretch it beyond that in many years and hope to continue to do that. But it is a resource issue and what demand will be on them. It would also set a precedent and it is the same across the country to my knowledge,” said Seamus Ó Mongáin, Head of the Municipal District.

However, Cllr McNamara told Mr Ó Mongáin that he did not accept that the issue of resources should be an issue when the toilets are already there. He pointed out that planning permission has been given for an all-weather centre at Keel beach which will consist of toilets, showers and changing rooms and asked if the resources would be available to keep that open.

When he was assured that the funding would be available for this centre when it is developed, he said that the existing toilets should also remain open and offered to use his GMA fund to help finance it.

“We have toilets there in Keel and it cannot cost a lot of money to open those toilets. New year is one of the busiest times in Achill and we are going to be in a situation where there are no toilets. We are promoting tourism and yet we are forgetting the people who are there 365 days a year using the outdoor amenities and going for walks and no place to go to the toilet. We are not looking at the bigger picture.

“I will commit to give some of my money from my GMA along with money from yourselves [Mayo County Council] provided they are open from December 1...Monday to Sunday,” he said.

Director of Services, Joanne Grehan agreed to talk to Cllr McNamara and discuss the possibility of opening the toilets seven days a week if the resources can be secured.