PRESS RELEASE

2005 INTERNATIONAL BLUE FLAG AWARDS

Investment in waste water treatment plants pays off Blue Flags for Dublin City and Galway City

Ireland Awarded 82 Blue Flags

This year, Ireland has been awarded 82 Blue Flags by the International Blue Flag Jury, 78 for Irish beaches and 4 for Irish marinas. This is the highest number of Blue Flags achieved by Ireland and is out of a total of 89 beach and 4 marina applications, and represents an increase of 5 flags over 2004.

The investment by the Government in wastewater treatment plants is paying off for big cities, with Blue Flags being awarded to Dollymount, in Dublin City, and Silverstrand in Galway City.

Dollymount beach is an outstanding resource for Dubliners seeking respite from the trappings of a Capital city. The new wastewater treatment plant in Ringsend has led to significant improvements in the bathing water quality at Dollymount. This beach, as a new applicant, met the stringent water quality parameters for both 2003 and 2004.

Dublin City joins only four other capital cities with Blue Flags for beaches within their city limits out of 28 countries awarded internationally. Those are Reykjavik, Helsinki, Tallinn, and Athens.

The new treatment plant at Mutton Island in Galway has also led to major improvements in water quality. Silverstrand will fly the Blue Flag this year for the first time since 1998. Salthill is on track for the award in 2006, as it must show compliance with water quality for two years.

Blue Flags will fly again after many years in Trá Mór Coill Rua, Co Galway, Malahide and Donabate Co. Dublin, Lilliput-Lough Ennell, Co. Westmeath, and Templetown, Co Louth. Port, Co Louth will fly its very first Blue Flag this year. Keem, Carrowmore, and Mullaghmore in Co. Mayo, showed significant improvement in water quality and regain the Blue Flag this year. Owenahincha, Co. Cork wins the flag back after a big improvement in the litter problem, which bedevilled the beach last year.

The Blue Flag Operators in Ireland urge the public to help retain Blue Flags at beaches by doing some simple things when visiting the beach. Don't litter, respect fragile dunes, keep dogs on a leash and clean up after your dog. Also, if you believe this summer that Blue Flag criteria have been breached, please contact the Blue Flag office at 01-7077068. To view criteria go to www.blueflagireland.org.

DETAILS

2005 Blue Flag Winners:
Louth is back in the programme after many years receiving two Blue Flags. This year Templetown got the flag back after being out of the programme since 1998. Port has never been a Blue Flag beach until this year.

County Dublin has increased its number of Blue Flags from 3 in 2004 to 4 in 2005. Fingal County Council sees the return of Blue Flags to Malahide and Donabate beaches while Dún Laoghaire - Rathdown celebrates flags flying at Killiney and Seapoint.

Dublin City has never received a Blue Flag before. Dollymount is the first Dublin City beach to receive a Blue Flag.

Cork increased its number of Blue Flags by 1 with the return of Blue Flag status to Owenahincha.

Kerry and Mayo received the highest number of Blue Flags in the country with 13 blue flags each.

County Galway increases its number of flags by 1 with the flag going to Trá Mhór Coill Rua, Indreabhán.

Galway City receives a Blue Flag for the first time since 1998 for Silverstrand.

Westmeath increased its Blue Flags by 1 with the flag returning to Lilliput on Lough Ennell. A landlocked county, Westmeath now has 4 Blue Flags in total including two marinas.

7 Beaches lost their Blue Flag Status in 2005:

• Portrane, Co Dublin lost it Blue Flag because of failure to reach the required water quality standard. Portrane did not meet the EU Guideline values for faecal streptococci in 2004.
• Doonbeg, Co Clare lost its Blue Flag for failure to comply with the requirements on lifesaving equipment.
• Narin-Portnoo, Co Donegal lost its Blue Flag because of dune destruction in the beach hinterland which was considered as not in the spirit of Blue Flag. The Jury could not give this beach the Blue Flag as it was not clear whether the golf course development in the beach hinterland complied with planning regulations. Imperative Blue Flag Criterion 12 states that ".The current activities of the community in the coastal zone must be in compliance with planning regulations and coastal zone regulations.."
• Curracloe, Courtown, Duncannon and Rosslare, Co Wexford did not retain the Blue Flag for the 2005 season due to anomalies with bathing water analysis during the last season. Some results, towards the very end of the bathing season, showed deterioration in water quality which cannot easily be explained. But given the results obtained and the need to maintain the integrity of the awards system, the International Jury were left with no option but to withhold the awards for the year.

Unsuccessful applications:
The following beaches were unsuccessful in attaining a Blue Flag in 2005:

Failed Blue Flag Water Quality Standard:

• Ardmore failed to meet water quality for two consecutive years. It failed EU Guide values for Faecal Streptococci and Faecal Coliform in 2003.
• Tramore failed the EU guide value for Faecal Coliform in 2004. It must be in compliance for two years.
• An application from Galway County Council was received for Trá na Forbacha, Furbo. The bathing water did not meet standards for faecal coliform in 2003 and so has not been in compliance for two years. This beach will be monitored in 2005 and eligible to apply again in 2006.
• Salthill will be eligible for a Blue Flag in 2006; it met water quality criteria in 2004 but not in 2003.

MARINAS

4 marinas were awarded the Blue Flag this year, the same figure as 2004. In 2004 stricter criteria came into place for Blue Flag marinas to include environmental management plans.

The marinas awarded for 2005 are:

• Westmeath: Killinure Point Marina, Glasson, Athlone and Athlone Marina
• Clare: Kilrush Creek Marina
• Wexford: Kilmore Quay Marina

ROUNDUP 2005 BLUE FLAG AWARDS

Louth
Louth received 2 Blue Flags this year.

County Dublin
Dublin was awarded 4 Blue Flags in total which is an increase of 2 on last year. Fingal is awarded two flags and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown maintains its two for 2005.

Dublin City awarded one Blue Flag for Dollymount.

Wicklow
Wicklow was awarded 3 Blue Flags this year.

Wexford
Wexford lost all of its Blue Flags for beaches this year but retains the flag for its Kilmore Quay Marina.

Waterford
Waterford received 3 Blue Flags again this year.

Cork
The number of Blue Flags awarded to Cork beaches increased from 9 to 10.

Kerry
The number of flags awarded to Kerry is 13. This year it shares the top spot for most Blue Flags awarded with County Mayo.

Clare
The number of Blue Flags awarded to Clare decreased from 8 to 7 beaches.

Galway
5 flags were awarded to Galway beaches this year, an increase of 1.

Galway City
1 Blue Flag was awarded to Galway City this year.

Mayo
13 flags were awarded to Mayo beaches, an increase of 3 over 2004 and allowing Mayo to tie at the top with Kerry.

Sligo
3 flags were awarded to Sligo, the same number as last year.

Donegal
11 beaches in Donegal received the Blue Flag, a decrease of 1.

Westmeath
2 flags were awarded to Westmeath's inland bathing areas and 2 to marinas, an increase of 1 over 2004.

Four marinas were awarded the Blue Flag in 2005, the same amount as last year.

INTERNATIONAL BLUE FLAG RESULTS

The International Jury awarded the Blue Flag to 2442 beaches and 632 marinas in 28 countries in the Northern Hemisphere. For the first time, 2 beaches in Morocco, 5 beaches and 1 marina in Poland and 5 beaches in Canada received the Blue Flag award. The International Jury furthermore gave the Blue Flag Certificate to 11 beaches/marinas in Russia and Romania as a step toward achieving full Blue Flag status.

The International Jury is composed of representatives from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), World Tourism Organization (WTO), International Lifesaving Association (ILS) European Union for Coastal Conservation (EUCC), the Environmental Committee of the European Parliament, the International Council of Marine Industry Associations (ICOMIA) and the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).

The International Blue Flag Programme is co-ordinated in Ireland by An Taisce- The National Trust for Ireland, with support from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and on behalf of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE, www.fee-international.org).

For more information contact:

Lucy Hunt, Blue Flag Manager,
An Taisce, Tailors' Hall, BackLane, Dublin 8
Tel: 01 707 7068 Fax: 01 454 1802 E-mail: blueflag@antaisce.org