asked the Minister for the Environment the number of beaches in Ireland designated as bathing beaches for the purposes of compliance with the Bathing Water Directive 76/160/EC; if he sends bathing quality data for designated beaches to the EC; and, if so, if he will outline the EC observations on this data.
Written Answers. - EC Bathing Water Directive.
77.
The directive to which the Deputy refers applies to waters where bathing is specifically authorised or traditionally practised by a large number of bathers. Because of the terms of the directive, it is deemed not to apply to any bathing waters in Ireland but, in order to conform with the spirit of the directive, six beaches have been selected for monitoring: Portmarnock, Dollymount, Courtown, Tramore, Fountainstown and Salthill. Monitoring is carried out at these beaches fortnightly during the bathing season and a report is submitted to the EC Commission each year. The Commission's comments on the monitoring procedure in Ireland (made in first report which dealt with the type of data required) were taken into account in the compilation and presentation of bathing water results in subsequent years. I am not aware of any further comment by the Commission on the matter.