phs Washrooms Ireland, with support from the Irish Cancer Society and Irish Men’s Sheds Association, have commissioned research* to better understand how we can support men living with incontinence.
Many men experience urinary incontinence (UI) following cancer treatment - especially after prostate cancer. However, it is an issue that is not regularly discusses, despite the fact 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime. This equates to 4000 men being diagnosed with prostate cancer in Ireland each year.
Our experts discovered:
- Over half of men (54%) who experience Urinary Incontinence have struggled to find a bin in public restrooms to throw away their incontinence pads.
- More than half of men (52%) trying to manage incontinence symptoms after cancer treatment feel anxious about lack of access to proper facilities when they are out in public.
- When asked how hard it is to find a bin to dispose of incontinence waste in public, 20% say they found it very hard, and 34% found it quite hard.
The research shows we all need to do more to support men living with incontinence in Ireland.
No man should feel ashamed or isolated. Every man deserves dignity, support, and the confidence to live life fully - whether he’s heading to the shops, the pub, or Páirc an Chrócaigh.
Our aim is to:
- Break the stigma around male incontinence
- Raise awareness and talk about the issue
- Increase the provision of incontinence bins in washroom
* This nationwide study was conducted by iReach between 21 30 August 2025. iReach follows industry best practices and is a member of ESOMAR, IRS (Market Research Society) and AQR (Association of Qualitative Research).
