Here's how water quality ranks at Ireland's beaches 

Swimmers are advised not to swim at three beaches found to have 'poor' bathing water quality, one is Front Strand Beach, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin. File Photo: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

The water quality at almost eight out of 10 bathing water sites at beaches and lakes around the country has been rated as ‘excellent’ by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in its latest annual report.

Overall, it found the quality of Ireland’s bathing water to be very high, with 97% of the 148 sites it monitors meeting or exceeding the minimum standards, but some localised issues remain.