App will help beachgoers find blue flag hotspots
There’s an app for that. Now all we need is the weather.
Environment Minister Phil Hogan handed out a record 87 blue flag awards to 84 top quality beaches and three marinas around the coast. He also presented 56 green coast awards.
And details were announced of a new smartphone application which allows users find the locations of the world’s top blue flag beaches.
The flag award is one of the world’s most recognised eco-labels.
The bathing water at the locations must meet the highest standards of bathing water quality, and meet a specific set of strict criteria including information provision, environmental education and beach management. The big Irish winners were:
* Donegal and Mayo who picked up 13 flags each;
* Galway and Clare who each retained eight flags;
* and Kerry which retained its 13 flags.
Dollymount in Dublin City regained its blue flag after losing it last year.
Downings in Donegal won its first blue flag since 1999, with Skerries South and Donabate in Fingal getting their blue flags for the first time since 1995 and 2007 respectively.
The Three Sisters Marina in New Ross, Wexford, also won its first blue flag.
However, Claycastle and Youghal front strand in Co Cork lost out after failing to meet water quality criteria.
Mullaghmore in Sligo could not be awarded a flag because of livestock roaming on the main beach.
An Taisce said it is creating an unsafe environment for beach users.
Rush South was not awarded the blue flag because of non-compliance with water quality criteria, and Malahide beach lost out because of safety concerns.
Co Cork also staked its claim as one of the country’s top beach destinations after scooping the highest number of green coast awards — picking up 11 of the 56 awarded nationally.
These awards are for locations which may not have the infrastructure needed to get a blue flag, but they are nonetheless considered exceptional places to visit.
The awards recognises them for their clean environment, excellent water quality and good beach management.
Renvyle in Galway and Guillamene Cove in Waterford picked up their first green coast awards.
Arklow South in Wicklow and Dollymount in Dublin City regained their awards after losing out in 2011.
And popular Cork beach, Fountainstown, won the award for the first time.
However, Ballycastle in Mayo, Claycastle and Red Strand in Co Cork, Annestown and Newtown Cove in Co Waterford, Cullenstown in Co Wexford, and Rush South in Fingal all lost out for non-compliance with water quality.
An Taisce’s Patricia Oliver, said they were delighted to announce a record 87 blue flag sites in what is the 25th anniversary of the award.
“The continuing high standards of our beaches are testament to the hard work carried out by local authorities throughout the year to improve water quality and provide clean, safe beaches for everyone to enjoy,” she said.
She also praised ‘Coastcare’ groups that care for the nation’s beaches by organising beach cleans and marram grass planting.
* A map showing all the award-winning beaches can be found at www.beachawards.ie
