Public toilets at major Mayo tourism site ‘are a disgrace’

A local councillor has said the state of the public toilets in Knock village are so bad as to be a public disgrace.

Cllr Richard Finn told last week's meeting of Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District that the state of the public toilets in Knock is an ongoing issue, with people constantly making representations about them. He pointed out that while the public toilets in Knock Shrine are always kept in excellent condition, the public toilets in the car park on the Kiltimagh side of the village "put the council to shame". 

“If we set up public toilets in an area it is our duty to look after and care for them. These serve stallholders and people getting off buses and people making their way to Knock Airport and they must have these facilities, especially after long journeys. We know what Knock means to the county in terms of tourism with 1.5 million visiting every year and we must show as a council we are providing services to people coming to Knock. Even bus drivers from Donegal and places rang me about the state of the council’s public toilets at Knock.” 

Cllr Finn said the issue was sorted at Croagh Patrick car park and there was no reason why the same could not happen in Knock.

Cllr Michael Burke agreed, saying the Knock Shrine public toilets were “first class". 

Head of the municipal district Padraig Flanagan told the forum: “We have a detailed proposal for funding for Knock in 2027. The current caretaker is working under very difficult circumstances, but we have to do substantial work in the toilets, it will come down to the budget meeting as to what happens with that.”

• Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.