Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I also would like to welcome the Speaker, Michelle Roberts, and her husband, Greg, to the Distinguished Visitors’ Gallery. I briefly had the pleasure of their company earlier this afternoon. I sincerely hope their visit to Leinster House is enjoyable and informative. I say that on my own behalf and, indeed, as chairperson of the Ireland-Australia parliamentary friendship group.Members of the group will visit County Clare over the next few days. I have no doubt that they will take the opportunity to visit some of the county's lovely attractions. It is on that note that I want to raise the issue of water safety and tourism. I was delighted that the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Humphreys, visited Loop Head lighthouse and officially opened the visitor centre at Loop Head lighthouse. The initiative was championed by Councillor Gabriel Keating and it is now a must-see attraction in west Clare. The project very nicely complements what the Minister also opened, which is the Burren Centre in Kilfenora and celebrates the huge tradition, recognised throughout the world, of the Kilfenora Céilí Band The investment and the product interpreting the Burren that people can see when they the Burren Centre in Kilfenora now is incredible. These centres are all part of what I call are gold-plated tourist attractions to complement the world-renowned Cliffs of Moher visitor experience.

However, water safety is one issue we need to debate in the House. I have said for a long time that water safety should be a compulsory module at primary and second level education because young people need to understand the pleasures and enjoyment that swimming and water sports bring but they also need to respect the fact that water is way more powerful than any of us human beings and needs to be respected. In particular, water needs to be respected when there are red weather warnings, and when the emergency services, the Coast Guard and lifeguards advise people not to swim, surf or engage in water sports. We need to consider legislating so that when people ignore warnings that becomes a criminal offence.

It is great to see Senator Clifford-Lee as Acting Leader. I ask that before the recess we have a debate on water sports and water safety. Part of that debate should be about what we should do to legislate to protect people and the people who work in emergency services, and see what we can do through the education system to make young people more aware of not just the beauty of water but to treat water with the respect it deserves and, indeed, the safety that is required.