Lifeguards working at one of Dublin’s most popular beaches have raised serious concerns for public safety including “an extremely dangerous level of staffing”.
An extensive report, setting out a litany concerns about the lifeguard service at Dollymount Strand-Bull Island, points out that only three lifeguards have been recruited this summer.
It says this is fewer than half the seven personnel that Dublin City Council has itself set as the number required. The report, drawn up by the lifeguards, has been circulated to local councillors, some of whom have studied its contents and plan to raise concerns with council management.
The lifeguards’s report states that international colleagues holidaying in the area are “horrified” to see so few personnel in place when they visit Dollymount.
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Overall, the lifeguards believe the council’s ‘Parks, Biodiversity and Landscape Services’ should not be managing lifeguarding services as it has “no understanding of operating a rescue service”.
In reply to series of queries, Dublin City Council said a report had been received from lifeguard personnel on July 29th and was being reviewed. When the review was completed, the council said it would respond to those raising the concerns. It said it would then “be happy to respond to the issues as summarised by The Irish Times”.
The report says a rescue boat at the beach is so heavy that it is difficult and dangerous to launch. There are also concerns set out about a shortage of defibrillators and a rescue quad bike having recently had a flat tyre for almost two weeks before being repaired.
There are also complaints that the quality of clothing, and the general working conditions of the lifeguards being poor and unsafe, with substandard or broken essential safety equipment such as binoculars and radios. The lifeguard “huts are full of rust and dirt and we are constantly fighting black mould”, the report says.
The lifeguards are calling for a “no bias” independent review of the safety of the lifeguarding service on the beach as well as a review of their pay and working conditions.
There are two lifeguard stations in the area, at the Bull Wall and about 2km further east at the Causeway, with both manned by one lifeguard most of the time at weekends, when the area is busiest.
The lifeguards also say they are regularly required to deal with people who are unruly and under the influence of alcohol or drugs, but have not be trained to do so. They note that lifeguards are employed on short-term contracts and are poorly paid, ensuring experience rarely builds up in the service due to poor prospects of advancement.
“Dollymount Strand and Bull Island Beach Lifeguards treated over 200 first aid incidents in June 2024, including cuts, grazes, lacerations, jellyfish stings, sand in eyes, injured ankles/tendons and lost children,” the report states.
“We refloated stranded boats and had one swimming rescue and prevented hundreds of accidents, and gave advice out constantly. With a large volume of visitors on a hot weekend we are at an extremely dangerous level of staffing. Lifeguards remove swimming hazards, hypodermic needles, broken glass.”
Though the main focus of the report relates to the safety of the public, the lifeguards also say staffing levels are so low, in-water rescue operations would likely have to be performed solo from Fridays at 1pm until Sunday evenings. During these times each lifeguard was “covering vast amount of timeline” and open water.
“Despite having explained to management the dangers of solo working they insist that both stations are kept open. Essentially asking the impossible of lifeguards,” the report states.
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