Funding of €250,000 was allocated to Tipperary County Council to revamp the block of public toilets in the Market Yard in Tipperary town last year, and works on the facility have started this week.

Tipperary County Council gave notice that the public toilets would close from Monday, November 3 until further notice while the works are underway.

The funding came from the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, and is for the refurbishment and provision of universal access including mother and baby facilities at the public toilets in Market Yard in Tipperary town.

“This will also include facilities for walkers and cyclists using the new and proposed walkways in the town,” the Town and Village Renewal Scheme allocation said.

It is understood that the layout of the facilities will be changed, with an existing flower bed at the end of the building being removed, while the entrance doors will be moved to facilitate this.

A bicycle rack with electric charging units and a water fountain to refill water bottles will also be installed.

However, many locals on social media have hit out at the €250,000 funding allocation, questioning whether a sum of money this large would be better spent elsewhere.

“What a joke. €250,000. Money could be spent on better projects around this town of ours,” one person said.

“Another huge waste of funding in this town. Not like the town hasn’t had water properly in three weeks and I’m without in my kitchen for two weeks, no lights throughout one end of town and traffic lights that barely work. Wasting money only for [people] to ruin it when its done and that’s what will happen,” someone else said.

Another person said: “how on earth could it cost that money to refurbish a toilet?” While another said “that money could do so much more for the town”.

Other people hit out that the public toilets had only been refurbished in the last few years, and said that all the toilets needed was a good clean up.

It is understood that when the works on the new facilities are complete, people will have to pay a fee to use the toilets, with a code system being used to gain access.

Tipperary County Council has been contacted for comment.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme