Barry Ward (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Today is Daffodil Day and I acknowledge the enormous work done by the Irish Cancer Society. Every one of us has been touched by cancer. Today, I remember members of my family who have died from cancer and the work that the Irish Cancer Society did to support people in that regard. I encourage people to donate or buy a daffodil if they can.

I wish to talk about water safety. The seasons are moving from spring towards summer and I hope there will be a slight relaxation of restrictions, although I do not know whether that will happen. Increasingly, I see people swimming in the sea in Seapoint, the Forty Foot bathing area, Hawk Cliff and Killiney beach in my local area. It is important to note that Water Safety Ireland this week asked people to remember how cold the water still is, pointing out that we still have tides, bad weather and high waves and asking people to be extremely careful. I acknowledge the work done by my colleague, Councillor Lola O'Sullivan, in Tramore and her work with Water Safety Ireland. It is important to remind people that if they swim in the sea or are involved in water sports such as paddle boarding, sailing or windsurfing, there are attendant risks and they need to take precautions. They should let people know where they will be, wear the appropriate equipment and know the water and area so that they can protect themselves.

This week, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, RNLI, in Dún Laoghaire reported that it has had an increase in demand for its services. In the last week, the RNLI had to rescue people who had been cut off by the tide in Sandymount. As incidents can easily happen, I appeal to people to be careful so that they do not require the help of the Coast Guard, the RNLI or other rescue services because when they do, these services may not be available to help somebody else. We can all take simple steps when in the water to be careful and ensure we do not get into difficulty.