Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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409. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development to confirm that Ireland has amongst the worst drowning rates in Europe; whether she intends to remedy this by increasing the number of lifeguards employed, ensuring proper training of all lifeguards, extending the months of the year that lifeguards are employed to cover the whole year, and by providing all lifeguards with the necessary equipment, such as radios, all-terrain vehicles and defibrillators, in line with European best practice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7110/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Water Safety Ireland (WSI) is the statutory, voluntary body and registered charity established to promote water safety and reduce drownings in Ireland. WSI’s remit includes public awareness and education. It strives to reduce drownings further by changing attitudes and behaviours so that our aquatic environments can be enjoyed by all with confidence and safety.

WSI has statutory responsibility for the promotion of public awareness of water safety; advancement of education related to the prevention of accidents in water; instruction in water safety; and the establishment of national standards for lifeguards.

In 2023 I launched WSI’s Strategic Development Plan 2023-2027. Goal 5, with its four corresponding objectives, specifically focuses on lifeguarding, both beach and pool.

However, while WSI is an independent body under the aegis of my Department, the employment of lifeguards and equipment provided is a matter for the relevant local authority under the Local Government Acts. Neither my Department nor Water Safety Ireland have a remit in respect of local government employment or equipment provided for local government services.