The Green Party has welcomed the decision by Dublin City Council at last night’s annual budget meeting to bring back public toilets to Dublin City Centre. The move was proposed by the Green Party and the Party said this will bring Dublin back in line with other cities and towns. It is hoped that the new toilets will be like those in Sandycove in Dún Laoghaire and Skerries in Fingal that have successfully been in place for several years.Green Party Councillor Ciarán Cuffe said:“This is good news for the city and will benefit many. It will benefit homeless people who are often excluded from using toilets in cafes and bars, but will also benefit older people and families with young children who may need toilets at short notice. New facilities such as these will have to be well managed and maintained, but I have no doubt that they can be a huge success.Councillor Claire Byrne said:“People often ask us why there aren’t public toilets in the city centre. Well, with this decision last night we’re hoping to reinstate toilets that are available to all. I’m also pleased that the officials have responded to our calls for drinking fountains, and will roll-out a pilot project to deliver this. Single-use plastic needs to be reduced, and drinking fountains where you can refill a water bottle will help address the rising tide of plastic pollution.Councillor Patrick Costello said:“New public toilets will be a boost for parents with young children. If designed properly they can incorporate baby-changing facilities so that young parents change nappies without looking for a nearby café. I'm also pleased that we've included 2,000 new bicycle parking spaces in next year's budget.ENDSIssued and uploaded 20th November 2018