Vol. 540 No. 1
342 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the policy of his Department in relation to a display board at beaches and harbours to indicate the results of latest tests of water quality. [19990/01]
Water quality standards designed to protect public health and the environment are set by the Quality of Bathing Waters Regulations, 1992, which also prescribe the location, methods and frequency of sampling, the methods of analysis and inspection to be used and other related requirements in relation to waters designated as bathing areas. Local authorities are required by the regulations to display, or make available, near the bathing area, the results of sampling together with a map indicating the location of sampling; maintain a register of sampling results and make it available for inspection by any person; give appropriate public notice where bathing waters fail to meet the prescribed standards and supply the sampling results to the Environmental Protection Agency not later than 31 October each year.
A national report is compiled by the agency and sent to the European Commission which publishes a report for the EU. The report of the European Commission on the quality of bathing water for the 2000 bathing season confirms that Irish bathing waters are among the best in Europe in terms of water quality, and indicates that 98.3% of coastal bathing areas, and 100% of freshwater areas, comply with the mandatory EU values.
The regulations apply to the 131 areas designated by the regulations as bathing areas and do not apply to all harbours.
