Mayo councillor criticises lowering of Blue Flags due to absence of lifeguards

AN Achill councillor has criticised the decision not to fly the Blue Flag on beaches on Achill Island where lifeguards are not present.

Fianna Fáil councillor Paul McNamara hit out at the arrangement between An Taisce and Mayo County Council whereby the Blue Flag would not fly on beaches if the lifeguard is not on duty.

As part of the criteria for obtaining a Blue Flag, an adequate number of lifeguards and/or lifesaving equipment must be available at the beach and it is 'imperative' that Blue Flag beaches are lifeguarded on weekends in June, daily in July and August and weekends in September unless an Irish Water Safety Risk Assessment states otherwise.

Due to resource issues and the lack of lifeguards, Mayo County Council have not been able to provide lifeguards on all Blue Flag beaches around Mayo.

In an agreement reached between Mayo County Council and An Taisce, the council gave a commitment to have lifeguards at certain beaches and if lifeguards were not available to man those beaches, the Blue Flag would be lowered on those days.

Speaking at the monthly meeting of the Westport/Belmullet Municipal District, Cllr McNamara described this arrangement as an insult to the local communities who ensure that the beaches are in pristine condition throughout the year.

“Why are we bending to An Taisce and all these rules around the Blue Flag? We already restrict dog walking on the beach and now we have An Taisce telling us when we can fly our Blue Flag and when we cannot fly our Blue Flag.

“The reality of the situation is the land approaching our beaches is all commonage which is privately owned and yet we have departments and agencies telling us when our Blue Flag can fly and when it cannot fly. I think it is an awful insult to the community itself who pick up rubbish on the beaches and why are we bending to suit these bodies to take down our Blue Flag which we are so proud of,” he said.

Cllr McNamara also pointed out that the Golden Strand beach in Dugort on Achill Island does not have lifeguards during the summer but the Blue Flag flies there, and yet 2km down the road the Blue Flag at the Silver Strand has to be lowered if there is no lifeguard on duty.

In response, Heather Gibbons, Senior Engineer with Mayo County Council said that as part of the agreement, beaches which are not committed to have lifeguards can fly the Blue Flag all the time.

“So for someone who drives by a beach with no lifeguards the flag is flying and if someone drives by a beach with no lifeguards it is not flying. It beggars belief I could not believe what I was seeing,” Cllr McNamara replied.

Ms Gibbons said she was in agreement with him that beaches which have a Blue Flag should have them fly but they have to comply with the directive from An Taisce.