A local sailor who recently visited Devenish Island with visitors from abroad was shocked to discover that the toilet facilities on the island were not accessible.

Speaking to The Impartial Reporter, Michael Clarke aired his frustration at the fact the toilet block was locked, and is questioning why, at one of Fermanagh's most popular tourist attractions, are such facilities not open to the public?

He explained that he had been sailing from the Lough Erne Yacht Club to Devenish Island on Thursday, June 30, accompanied by visitors from Australia, with plans to have a picnic on the island before making their return journey.

The group arrived on the island just after the Erne Tours passenger boat, the MV Kestrel, had docked.

"I had mentioned to [my guests] that there was a toilet [on the island] and sure enough, off they went and there they were faced with the firmly shut doors with a [keypad lock]," said Michael.

 

Devenish Island.

Devenish Island.

 

"I got chatting with a couple of visitors who came up off the passenger boat, and they had tried the same. It's very peculiar to not have [open] toilets at a major tourist destination," he added, noting that he then went to talk to the skipper of the MV Kestrel to see if they knew the code for the locked toilet facilities.

Michael continued: "The skipper of the boat had asked Fermanagh and Omagh District Council several times could he have the code for the toilets on the island so he could let his passengers know, should they need them.

"He said that the Council were unable to give him the number; he was told it couldn't be done."

As a sailor, Michael has visited Devenish Island on multiple occasions over the years.

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"That's the first time I've seen those peculiar locks on the [toilet] door. I've been to those toilets before without any great difficulty," he said, adding: "It seemed to be something that was verging on the stupid, to be putting a complicated locking system on the public toilets which [there is a] duty to provide, and then refusing to give the code to relevant and responsible people," Michael told this newspaper.

The Impartial Reporter contacted the Council and the Department for Communities (DfC) regarding the locked toilet facilities issue.

A Council spokesperson confirmed that the toilets at Devenish Island are the responsibility of the Historic Environment Division of the DfC.

In response to questions from this newspaper, a DfC spokesperson claimed that the toilet facilities are open – but only on particular days and times during the summer months.

The DfC spokesperson said: “For the 2022 summer season, DfC has worked in partnership with the Council and the Devenish Island Development Partnership to provide a Welcome Ambassador service on Devenish Island, at weekends and bank holidays, from May to September, and from Thursday to Sunday in the months of July, August, and September.

"On these days, an ambassador is on site as a minimum from 11am to 3pm, and the toilets and visitors centre are open to the public during these times."

The spokesperson further added: “All visitors to the island, and the other islands on the lough, should plan in advance for their visit – including the provision of toilet facilities.

"A comprehensive list of public toilet facilities can be found on the Council website.”