Two top bathing spots fail to pass water test

Two of the country’s 135 premier bathing spots have failed to meet basic water cleanliness standards.

The two beaches were Clifden Beach in Galway and White Strand in Miltown Malbay in Clare. Five beaches failed to meet the standards in 2010.

The report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that, overall, the quality of Ireland’s bathing waters remains high, with 98.5% of identified bathing areas meeting the EU mandatory standards. By comparison, 97% of bathing areas met these standards in the 2010 bathing season.