Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am dealing with this on behalf of the Minister for housing. I thank Senator Ward for raising this important issue with regard to the requirement on local authorities to define the bathing season for the designated bathing sites in their jurisdiction. The Bathing Water Quality (Amendment) Regulations, which were published on 28 June 2024, were brought into law to facilitate the local authorities in defining the bathing season within their jurisdiction on an annual basis.

In accordance with the regulations, the local authorities are required to identify all bathing waters and define the length of the bathing season before the start of that season and not later than 24 March each year. The local authorities are required to do this for the first time since the publication of the regulations no later than 24 March 2025. I am informed that the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, is developing guidance for local authorities to help them define the bathing season in line with the requirements of the regulations.

I take this opportunity to mention that water quality sampling is carried out by local authorities around Dublin Bay all year round and the results are published on local authority websites. They are also published on the EPA’s beaches.ie website. Additionally, local authorities post the results of water quality monitoring on the noticeboards at each beach.

That is the reply I received. I am not familiar with all the regulations. I was asked to deputise for the Minister for housing. The response is about the new regulations which have come into place. Local authorities must have set out clearly by 24 March 2025 the timing of the season.