THE lack of toilet facilities at the Letterkenny Retail Park has been branded ‘an absolute disgrace’ as a local councillor has demanded public toilets are provided for shoppers.

At a meeting of the Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District on Tuesday, Councillor Donal Kelly urged the Council to consider installing a public toilet block at the Retail Park.

The retail park is one of the main shopping areas in the town attracting hundreds of people daily, however, there are currently no public toilets in the area.

Cllr Kelly said he believed that none of town’s public toilets was convenient to the retail park and added a toilet was an essential facility for public areas with heavy footfall.

Speaking at the meeting, he said, “I know that businesses have been very accommodating and allow customers to use the toilet but not every business has toilets which customers can use so as there are no public toilets, this is a massive problem.

“There are wheelchair users, elderly people and parents with young children using the area daily but there are no facilities in place. It is an absolute disgrace.

“In my opinion, public toilet facilities in this area is a no brainer,” said Cllr Kelly.

The Letterkenny based councillor also suggested surveying people about the need for public toilets in the area and ‘engage with customers on the ground’ about the issue.

Cllr Kelly also called for a banklink to be put in place at the retail park but was told that the council does not provide bank links.

Cllr Donal Coyle seconded the motion and said since the development of the retail park, the lack of public toilets has been raised several times.

“For a town the size of Letterkenny, three public toilet blocks is not enough and the council need to look at this seriously.  The main drain runs along the area where the retail park is so it wouldn’t take a high cost to provide the toilets,” said Cllr Coyle.

In response to Cllr Kelly’s motion, Donegal County Council said it provides three public conveniences in the town and it had no plans to add public toilets to the retail park.

The council added that a number of businesses and food services in the area provide toilets for their customers.