FEARS OVER a possible E.coli outbreak yesterday forced Clare County Council to ban swimming at three of the county's most popular beaches at Lahinch, Kilkee and Spanish Point.
The council made the move after trace levels of E.coli were found in water samples from the beaches on Wednesday.
Thousands of holidaymakers are expected to travel to the resorts this weekend with good weather forecast after weeks of poor conditions adversely affecting tourism businesses in the area.
However, public bathing notices and red flags confirming that swimming was prohibited were yesterday placed on all of the affected beaches, while the blue flags at Lahinch and Kilkee beaches have been temporarily removed.
The director of services with Clare County Council, Ann Haugh, said last night that the move to shut down swimming at the three beaches “is unprecedented. It is very unfortunate, but public safety is paramount and we are unwilling to take any risks”.
Lahinch is one of the most popular surf beaches in the country, with five surf schools operating in the water instructing hundreds of surfers every day.
Ms Haugh said that the swimming ban also included surfing. She confirmed it was a prohibition on entering the water.
Last night, Lahinch hotelier Michael Vaughan described the move as “a shocking development”.
Mr Vaughan, the president of the Irish Hotels' Federation, said: "Never in living memory, and my father is 90, can it be recalled that swimming was banned in Lahinch because of E.coli."
He added: “This is really, really bad. On a busy day, you would have 3,000 visitors to the beach at Lahinch and the surf schools would employ 30 to 40 people working in the water that will be directly affected by this.
“This is high season. It is shocking news and every effort should be made to make the closure as brief as possible. We are after coming out of two of the worst weeks ever in terms of business in Lahinch.”
Twenty-seven miles south of Lahinch, the owner of the Diamond Rocks Cafe in Kilkee, Kevin Haugh, said yesterday: “This is definitely the last thing we needed as we’re heading into a nice weekend. It is a beautiful day here and I would hope that this can be resolved as soon as possible.”
Ms Haugh said that fresh tests were taken at the three beaches yesterday and it would be Sunday before the results were known. A decision will be made then as to whether the waters can be reopened for swimming.
She said the decision had been taken in consultation with the Health Service Executive. The lifeguard presence at Kilkee, Spanish Point and Lahinch remains unchanged.
She said abnormal weather conditions and the runoff from lands near the beaches were the reason for the levels of E.coli.
“The water runoff from the excessive and sustained rainfall of the past two months has had a negative impact on bathing water quality at Kilkee, Spanish Point and Lahinch by elevating bacterial levels.”
