Madam, – There is a 30 cent charge to enter the public toilets via turnstiles at the main concourse at Heuston Station, Dublin. This is mainly to discourage anti-social behaviour. While there is evidence of increased anti-social behaviour where there is no attendant to supervise toilets, there is little evidence of increased anti-social behaviour where there is no charge; toilet facilities, including those on CIÉ trains, at airports, shopping centres, hospitals, meet the highest standards with no charge.
Public toilets matter to everybody, regardless of age, class, ethnic origin, gender and mental or physical ability. They are even more important to certain sections of our society, including older people, disabled people, women, families with young children and tourists. To see passengers with luggage, including pregnant women, queue up to put money in a coin-operated slot, negotiate a turnstile, before they can access public toilets, is pitiful in the 21st century. – Yours, etc,