Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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908. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the action being taken to promote water safety, particularly in light of recent fatalities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27132/25]

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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909. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development to confirm that he will work with local authorities to promote water safety by installing signage in public parks and near bodies of water that show the three or four steps of how to raise alarm/throw a lifebelt, as well as providing similar signage on lifebuoy poles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27133/25]

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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910. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if consideration would be provided to providing funding for training on how to use lifesaving equipment such as raising the alarm, lifebuoys and lifebelts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27134/25]

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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911. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development to confirm that consideration would be given to launching a new water safety campaign, with social media guidelines on actions that members of the public can take if someone is in difficulty and how to do this, in light of recent fatalities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27135/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 908, 909, 910 and 911 together.

The recent tragedies have highlighted the importance of public awareness of water safety, and I extend my condolences to the families and friends of those that have lost their lives in the water recently.

Water Safety Ireland (WSI), which comes under the aegis of my Department, is the statutory, voluntary body established to promote water safety and reduce drownings in Ireland. WSI has statutory responsibility for the promotion of public awareness of water safety; the advancement of education related to the prevention of accidents in water; instruction in water safety; and the establishment of national standards for lifeguards.

WSI’s Strategic Development Plan 2023-2027 operates in conjunction with Ireland’s National Drowning Prevention Strategy 2018-2027. The Strategy focuses on five pillars, namely education, awareness, training, intervention and action. It sets out how Water Safety Ireland aims to reduce the number of drownings in Ireland by targeting at-risk groups.

We can see the practical application of the Strategy through a number of education programmes provided by WSI. Several of these programmes are aimed at children, from the Hold Hands programmes in early learning centres, to the PAWS programme which is on the primary school curriculum, and to the GET WISE programme for secondary schools.

Without wishing to minimise recent tragic events, these programmes and the efforts of local authority lifeguards are bringing the numbers of drownings in Ireland down. The drowning rate has been steadily declining over recent years from 144 lives lost in 2012 to 78 in 2024. Notwithstanding this, we can and must do more to reduce that number further.

It is important to note that funding from my Department to WSI has more than doubled since 2022. WSI have used this money to establish new training and education programmes, to run large-scale and targeted awareness campaigns, and to develop partnerships and expertise. My Department will continue to support WSI as they develop their education, training and awareness raising activities.

Extensive advice, information and supports are available on Water Safety Ireland’s website at www.watersafety.ie In addition, visitors to WSI's website can report missing ringbuoys, check which beaches and waterways are lifeguarded and when, and find out more about water safety courses available in their areas.

Last week was Ireland's National Water Safety Awareness Week. This is one of the largest annual campaigns that Water Safety Ireland runs and includes national and local media, water safety focused events on beaches and at inland waterways, and the participation of over 5,000 volunteer members nationwide. It is one of many awareness-raising and educational campaigns that WSI runs throughout the year.

Water safety is also a key focus of the annual Be Summer Ready and Be Winter Ready campaigns, run by the Office of Emergency Planning, in collaboration with Met Éireann, Water Safety Ireland and the Irish Coast Guard, amongst other state agencies.

Finally, it is my understanding that local authorities employ Water Safety Development Officers (WSDO) and that the duties of WSDOs typically includes purchase of water safety equipment for lifeguards, instructors and examiners, employment of lifeguards and provision of information and safety signs at swimming areas during the summer season.