Armagh toilets not opening due to extra cleaning requirements, councillors told

Staffing levels are to blame for the fact some toilets in the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council area are yet to reopen fully, it has been confirmed.

Public toilets were closed to the general public on March 26 this year. Some toilets in Armagh, Banbridge, Lurgan and Portadown reopened on June 15 this year, with others following suit over the summer.

However, toilets in some rural villages including Loughgall, Markethill and Tandragee are yet to return to their previous hours of operation.

When the issue was raised at a meeting of Council’s environmental services committee by Councillor Julie Flaherty, she was told these toilets would return to normal when staffing levels were sufficient.

The Ulster Unionist asked: “With regards to the public toilets, the report claims there are a few, particularly in rural areas like Loughgall that are still not open. I was assured that they were to open soon, if they had not already, so can I ask, have the staffing issues been resolved?”

Council’s head of environmental services, Barry Patience, explained the extra cleaning required as a result of the pandemic has made reopening these facilities difficult.

“Staffing issues with toilets is the same as everywhere else,” said Mr Patience.

“Before the pandemic, these toilets were opened in the morning, cleaned and locked in the evening. Now, they are cleaned two times a day, and in busier locations, like Gosford Forest Park, the toilets require even more cleaning.

“The resources required for cleaning has doubled and that is why it has taken so long to get these toilets open.

“As and when we get staff back we can put them on to these duties and we are constantly reviewing this but toilets will always be an issue as we will be cleaning them more often.

“It should also be noted that the report was put together at some time in the last fortnight so the information was correct at the time of going to print so to speak, but may not be up to date now.”

Following the meeting, a spokesperson for Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council confirmed the toilets in Loughgall reopened on August 27, Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm.