Months long wait ends as new accessible public toilets finally open in Tipperary
Refurbished public toilets finally open after delays linked to card payment system
The long-awaited public toilets at the Market Yard in Tipperary Town are now open following delays in setting up the card payment system.
At today’s monthly Municipal District meeting for Tipperary/Cahir/Cashel, Sinn Fein councillor Annemarie Ryan Shiner enquired whether the toilets were fully operational yet as they have been closed for some time.
The refurbishment works on the new toilets were completed in March. However, after briefly opening the toilets had to close again because of delays linked to the card payment system.
Anselm McGowan who is District Administrator for this MD, said that it is great to see the new toilets finally open after the council encountered challenged behind the scenes in relation to the payment system.
“We were told by the payment company originally that it was just a case of adding them to the existing toilets in Cahir, eventually they came back and said that’s not possible due to changes around statutory obligations surrounding money laundering,” he explained.
The council eventually overcame these hurdles and the toilets are finally open for locals to use in Tipperary Town.
The facility, which is operated by Tipperary County Council, charges 40 cent per use and currently accepts card payments only.
A proposal to provide a cash payment option made by Cllr Ryan Shiner in earlier weeks was unsuccessful.
The new amenities include a male toilet, a female toilet, a wheelchair-accessible toilet with baby changing facilities, and a specially adapted Changing Places unit for people with complex disabilities.
Access to the Changing Places toilet requires a RADAR key, which can be ordered here.
The council has submitted the facility's details to the national Changing Places register, and it is expected to be listed shortly.