There’s no denying they’re necessary.

But Cork City Council has responded to a public that has long been calling for more public conveniences in the city by explaining how much it really costs to install and maintain them.

With new public toilets for Marina Park due to open on the upgraded Marina Promenade in Cork city next week (Cork City Council took delivery of the two new fully accessible toilet units on Monday and they have been placed on a site adjacent to Cortado Coffee at the city end of the Marina Promenade) a spokesman for Cork City Council said is the policy to provide public toilets, where possible, at all of the city’s major public parks – usually at those with the highest footfall and at locations where people would spend a number of hours enjoying the amenity.

“Therefore, the Regional Park in Ballincollig, Fitzgerald’s Park, Tramore Valley Park and now Marina Park, all have public toilets,” he said.

The provision and annual maintenance of such public toilets is very costly.

“It has cost the city council just over €30,000 to buy the new toilet unit for Marina Park, with its daily maintenance and cleaning regime linked to a 10-year lease which was granted following a tender process during the summer to Cortado, the operator of next door café, located at the free public car park at the city end of the Marina Promenade.” they added.

The Marina Promenade toilets will be open during the café’s extensive opening hours, which are currently from 8am until 6pm seven days a week.

Public toilets installed by the city council are also available under the landmark red ‘Central Hall’ structure in the central plaza area of Marina Park, near the city end of Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

These toilets are managed by the operator of the adjacent café in line with its opening hours.