'You saw what happened above in Buncrana... Well, it’s quite capable of happening in Foynes'

A tragedy similar to the deaths of a family of five in Buncrana last March could happen at Foynes pier in the Shannon estuary if the pier remains in its current state and is not regularly cleaned, a senior member of the port town’s search and rescue service warned.

A thick green algae has formed on the public slipway at Foynes, making it extremely dangerous for the public to access.

Joe Moran of Foynes District Search and Rescue Service described the slipway as “treacherous”.