NEW public toilets in Ballineen will ‘rectify a wrong’ according to one West Cork Councillor after he said the previous toilets were knocked down in 2021 much to the surprise of locals, writes Kieran O’Mahony.

Cllr Joe Carroll (FF) told last week’s meeting of the local authority it was a ‘glorious honour and pleasure’ to rectify a wrong that was done to the people of Ballineen and West Cork.

A unisex public toilet and a disabled access public toilet will be installed within the footprint of the previously demolished public toilets at Derrigra.

There are also plans for a new paved area and a small landscaped area.

The twin villages of Ballineen and Enniskeane have been without a public convenience for the past five years following the demolition of the existing toilets which were built in the 1970s.

Cllr Carroll said councillors were alerted immediately when the former public toilets were demolished, adding: ‘They will never forget the woeful day when they woke one morning at seven o’clock and their toilets were gone.

‘We told locals that we would not rest until the toilets would be restored and that the people who did nothing about them would be banished forever out of West Cork. They can rest easy that they can be spending a penny in luxury and they can sleep well tonight in Ballineen.’

His colleague, Cllr Deirdre Kelly seconded the proposed development and thanked the current municipal district who progressed the project.

Cllr Danny Collins (Ind Ire) also welcomed the news and said it was important not to forget local publican Liam Foley of Foley’s Bar who provided toilet facilities for people waiting for the bus since the old toilets were demolished.

His colleague, Cllr Daniel Sexton said it will be great for the village to have their public toilets reinstated, which he said would be subject to funding.