DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL today announced plans that would see retail units in the city  provide toilet facilities for the public this summer. 

The Council has issued a tender for a pilot project involving temporary retail units such as coffee docks providing toilets in high-footfall, non-residential parts of the city. 

The Council last year set up public toilets at Stephen’s Green and Wolfe Tone Square in response to the Covid-19 pandemic but is now asking for new, non-permanent retail units to also provide facilities under this plan. 

The Council aims to award a concession contract for three years with the option to renew for a further 2 years, for the provision of retail units with integrated toilet facilities.

These should be predominantly in high-profile and high footfall, non-residential, locations, said the Council, which first mooted the idea last year. 

According to the Council, these “non-permanent” retail units must be in place by 30 June and provide integrated toilet facilities. 

Portaloos or other temporary toilets adjacent to the retail unit are not allowed under the proposal.

Units must not located within 200 metres of an existing shop selling a similar product.

“The unit must provide an accessible, serviced and clean public convenience to all members of the public when it is open,” according to the Council.

Under the plan members of the public will not be charged to use toilets. 

There have calls by councillors and members of the public over recent weeks for more public toilets in the city as society gradually reopens and summer approaches. 

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said today that Ireland’s Covid-19 situation would have to be monitored ahead of a government meeting to discuss the possible re-opening of the economy from May.

The Fine Gael leader warned that despite positive signals from health officials in recent days, the epidemiological situation could change in the coming days. 

The government is set to meet towards the end of next week to discuss an easing of Covid-19 restrictions over the summer, with guidance for the re-opening of non-essential retail, construction and other sectors over the summer months expected.