Sewage enters sea at 44 sites around Ireland

Raw sewage is directly discharged into the sea at 44 locations around the country, Irish Water said yesterday as it progressed plans to halt the flow of untreated wastewater at a beach centre in east Cork.

Contracts were signed for the provision of a €12.5m wastewater treatment plant in Youghal.

The seaside town’s Front Strand, formerly a blue flag beach, had earlier this year been one of seven beaches rated ‘poor’ in a bathing water quality report conducted by the Environment Protection Agency.