Irish Water Safety has given a cautious welcome to the latest drowning statistics, which are at their lowest for 40 years.
The decrease is significant, given the State's rise in population, Lieut Cdr John Leech, Irish Water Safety's chief executive, has said. Figures for 2005 show that there were 131 reported drownings - the lowest in any one year since 1965 and 18 lower than 2004.
Of the 131 drownings, 47 are classified as accidental, 63 as suicide and 21 undetermined by coroners' courts. Lieut Cdr Leech said the number was still very high in comparison with other developed nations, and the high number of suicides is of particular concern.
Irish Water Safety and the department of psychiatry and mental health research at UCD have initiated a research project on suicide drowning which may help to address the issue, he said.
Lieut-Cdr Leech has attributed the decrease to a number of factors, including a wet and windy summer last year and a growing awareness of the importance of water safety.
This has been influenced by campaigns run by the Government's marine safety working group, he said. Participants in this have included the Health and Safety Authority, Bord Iascaigh Mhara, Waterways Ireland, the Irish Coast Guard, Irish Sailing Association, RNLI lifeboats and the IWS.
Lieut Cdr Leech paid tribute to the role of the rescue organisations, including the Irish Coast Guard, Naval Service, Civil Defence, RNLI and community lifeboats, the Garda Síochána, the fire service and members of the public in effecting a large number of rescues.