No timeline for Marina toilets

There is still no opening date for the public toilets on the Marina Promenade, six months after they were first installed by the city council.

A spokesperson for Cork City Council said that the toilets have not opened as a result of “unforeseen operational issues”.

“The council has been working hard since to conclude contractual arrangements to enable the facilities onsite to open. We hope to be able to open them soon,” they said.

It is understood that an ongoing contractual dispute between Cork City Council and Cortado, the café that the toilets are adjacent to, is responsible for the delay.

A spokesperson for Cork City Council said that the matter of who cleans the toilet is part of the contractual arrangement that is being finalised

However, due to the nature of the dispute, exact details beyond this are unknown.

The toilets were installed in October 2025, when the city council said they would be opened within weeks.

It is understood that at the time of their installation, Cortado was to be responsible for their cleaning and upkeep.

A number of public representatives have expressed dismay at the ongoing delays.

City councillors Kieran McCarthy (Ind) and Niamh O’Connor (Social Democrats) have both said that the lack of toilets on the Marina Promenade are “very disappointing”.

“The operational contract is still not solved between Cortado and the city council. There’s still no timeframe. I’m calling for them to be opened as soon as possible because they’re sorely needed,” said Cllr McCarthy.

Cllr Niamh O’Connor has raised the issue of the toilets in Cork City Council.

At the January meeting of the council, she asked that signs directing people to the toilets be removed or covered until such time as they are opened for use. She said that having the signs there before then was causing confusion and annoyance for the public.

She said not having the toilets for the Easter weekend was disappointing.

“It’s really disappointing to think we could be heading into another long weekend without toilets at one of the most popular parks in the city,” she said on Friday 3 April.

In response to a Facebook post by Cllr McCarthy, Cork County councillor Audrey Buckley also said the delay was “very disappointing”.

“A public toilet is not a luxury, it’s a basic necessity. It’s not something optional that can simply be closed without consequence,” she said.

Cortado Coffee have been contacted for comment.

This article was produced with the support of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme funded by Coimisiún na Meán.