Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator Currie for this matter. I am answering on behalf of my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Deputy Patrick O'Donovan. He cannot be here today. The Phoenix Park is an historic landscape of international importance. It is one of the largest designed landscapes in any European city. The park extends to 1,752 acres and represents a unique natural and cultural landscape. It is both an historic and city park, and provides a setting for a range of activities and amenities. The location, size and use of the park can be compared to similar large urban parks in other cities, including Regent's Park in London, Bois du Boulogne in Paris and Central Park in New York. Phoenix Park is an archaeological complex and a national historic park of international significance and, therefore, toilet facilities have been developed to date where there is suitable water and wastewater infrastructure.Furthermore, toilet facilities have been developed where large groups of visitors are attracted to visit. There are public toilets at various locations in the park, including the Phoenix Park visitor centre, the tea kiosk adjacent to Dublin Zoo, Farmleigh House as Senator Currie mentioned, and the Knockmaroon Biodiversity Centre. A number of temporary toilets are then located at the Papal Cross car park, and toilet facilities are located within Dublin Zoo.

To improve the visitor experience, the OPW carried out minor upgrade works to the toilets located at the tea kiosk adjacent to Dublin Zoo in 2020, and upgrades to the toilet facilities at the Phoenix Park visitor centre were completed in February of last year. This includes upgrades to universal access and changing facilities. Knockmaroon Biodiversity Centre opened in May 2022, again with refurbished toilets.

The OPW, together with its strategic partners Fáilte Ireland and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, commissioned an independent strategic review of the visitor experience in Phoenix Park. Following an extensive public consultation in late 2019, a number of key visitor priorities were finalised. These included the conservation of the Magazine Fort and the upgrade of the Phoenix Park visitor centre, along with sustainable transport and mobility recommendations for implementation. The planning application for the restoration and improvement of visitor facilities at the Magazine Fort has been approved, and while this will begin with conservation and stabilisation, it will, in the medium term, include the provision of new toilet facilities at that location. Furthermore, the regional architects are currently assessing the condition of the old toilet block in the People's Flower Gardens. Unfortunately, the toilets were subject to considerable antisocial behaviour and arson, and this led to the decision to close the toilets to the public. However, the premises is currently in disrepair and will now require extensive restoration work. It is hoped that the full refurbishment of these toilets can be undertaken during 2024, subject to the results of the full assessment of the building.