Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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774. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will build on the current successful pilot projects of all-year-round daily seawater quality monitoring in bathing areas and improve health and safety for swimmers by mandating all of coastal county councils to promptly commence such monitoring; if he will provide these councils with the resources to carry out all-year-round daily seawater quality monitoring in bathing areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19849/21]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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793. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to a document published by a group (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20199/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 774 and 793 together.

I am very aware of the recent increase in people swimming, and the increase of beach users generally, outside of the traditional bathing season (in Dublin Bay and in many other areas). I have asked my Department to work with the National Bathing Water Expert Group, and with stakeholders, to specifically examine the feasibility and implications of expanding the bathing water season and / or the designation of additional bathing waters given the recent increase in sea swimming.

The Bathing Water Regulations 2008 (as amended), transpose the requirements of the 2006 Bathing Water Directive into national legislation. These regulations set the framework for the effective management of bathing waters around the country. The regulations also aim to improve health protection for bathers and ensure adequate information is disseminated in a timely manner during the bathing season.

It is important to note that in 2019 the Environmental Protection Agency found that 95% of bathing waters met or exceeded the minimum required standard. This is up from 94% in 2018 and improvements in bathing water quality are welcome and necessary.

Currently in Ireland there are almost 150 designated bathing waters identified by local authorities with the help of public consultation. The water quality in these areas is monitored during the bathing season. The regulations define the bathing season to mean the period from 1^stJune to 15^thSeptember in any calendar year and also set out the sampling and monitoring requirements for all designated bathing waters.

My Department chairs the National Bathing Water Expert Group which advises on the implementation of the regulations, and collaborates on addressing significant issues as they arise. The current membership of the group includes:

- Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage,

- the Health Service Executive,

- the Environmental Protection Agency,

- Water Safety Ireland,

- An Taisce,

- Coastwatch,

- Local Authorities, and

- Irish Water.

The key functions of the Bathing Water Expert Group are as follows:

- Advise me on matters relating to bathing water protection policy;

- Advise the relevant implementation bodies regarding the implementation of the Bathing Water Directive in Ireland;

- Develop guidance for the implementation of the Bathing Water Directive;

- Evaluate priority actions critical to delivering Ireland’s obligations under the Bathing Water Directive; and

- to provide a national view with respect to developments relating to the Bathing Water Directive and feed this through to the EU Commission and the EU Bathing Water Expert Group.