'Very upset,' people in Bagenalstown concerned over suggestion to re-locate public toilet
The issue came up at the December meeting of Bagenalstown Municipal District
"A good few people were very upset by the suggestion," said Cllr Andy Gladney over comments made at a Bagenalstown Municipal District meeting to re-locate the public toilet.
Cllr Willie Quinn suggested at the November meeting of the MD to move the public toilet in Bagenalstown to the train station due to the lack of toilet facilities at the stop.
However, speaking in December, Cllr Gladney said that "some members of the public were concerned about the suggestion that the public toilet be moved up to the train station to subsidise Irish Rail".
Carlow Live previously revealed that in 2017, Bagenalstown's public toilet cost €32,000 to run and the price included the "operating contract and electricity supply" but it only made just over €225 in revenues that year.
At the December meeting of the MD, area engineer, Jerry Crowley, said it was costing the local authority €32,000 a year for a contractor to operate and maintain the facility and the contract is for 20 years.
Cllr Quinn said: "That's crazy. That's €32,000 of taxpayers' money to take in €400. We don't have a toilet in Borris."
He said that paying "€600,000 over 20 years is crazy money".
"I've no problem with the toilet being there, it's the 20 year lease that is the problem," Cllr Quinn added.
Cllr Arthur McDonald defended the toilet which he said local representatives had fought hard for in the past.
He added that there is no maintenance for the Council to carry out nor are there caretaker costs.
While Cllr Andy Gladney said the toilet "looked well".