Public urged to respect beaches
All of Kerry’s designated bathing areas are complying fully with EU bathing water standards, according to the EPA’s Quality of Bathing Water 2007 report.
However, beaches such as Inch, on the Dingle Peninsula, are under threat from cars, motorbikes and quad bikes while dunes at Rossbeigh, where erosion has been a major issue for years, are also at increasing risk.
Cars have also been burned in dunes at Banna in north Kerry and unauthorised sand removal continues to be a problem on some beaches.
The latest EPA report shows Kerry is one of only six local authorities that complied fully with EU guidelines and mandatory standards for all of their designated bathing areas.
“We have 15 beaches which are designated bathing areas and a lot of time, effort and money goes into keeping these at a very high quality,” said Anne Haugh, director of environmental services for Kerry County Council.
But, she stressed, everybody had to play their part in ensuring the county’s beaches were preserved.
“It is to everybody’s benefit that we continue to have clean beaches and a clean environment,” she said.
“The tourism that is attracted by our scenery hugely benefits our economy and adds to our quality of living, which is second to none.
“To keep it that way, we need communities to be vigilant about illegal dumping, pollution and other habits that can ruin our countryside. Working together, we can keep Kerry clean and beautiful.”
Anyone that sees people littering or causing damage to beaches should report offenders to the council, Ms Haugh urged.
The local community in Inch undertakes an annual voluntary clean-up of the beach.
Kerry has 13 Blue Flag beaches, the same number as Mayo, which is the highest number in the country.
In order to win and maintain Blue Flag standards, beaches must also measure up in relation to recycling, bring banks, car parking and dune protection. Limited parking is allowed on Inch beach because of lack of parking facilities in the area.
Although motorised traffic on beaches continues to be a problem, jet skis are banned from Kerry’s Blue Flag beaches.
