Call to open Achill toilets year-round

ACHILL needs to have public toilet facilities open 12 months of the year.

Local Councillor Paul McNamara has pinpointed the facilities at Keel for year-round opening. And he's prepared to spend some of his GMA funding on making this a reality.

Raising the issue at a municipal meeting, Councillor McNamara said there are no public toilets open in the area until you get to Achill Sound, with Keem and Keel both closed.

The good weather into November saw a lot of day trippers visiting the island and but for the goodwill of local businesses, they'd not find anywhere to go to the toilet.

We promote the Wild Atlantic Way and locations such as Keem, and people visit Keel 365 days a year, yet the toilet facilities are closed.

Councillor McNamara suggested the facilities at Keel be open for use during council opening hours, seven days a week, as they are essential.

He was told the council doesn't have the resources to open them year-round. They are open during the bathing season and stretched beyond that on many years.

Councillor McNamara wouldn't accept that answer, however, saying it couldn't cost that much, while also wondering how they were going to manage when the new water sports changing rooms and toilets at Keem come on stream.

He said he would commit GMA funding, with money also from the council, and was told management will discuss this with him.