Three Irish beaches have been 'named and shamed' for not meeting minimum water-quality standards.
They are Merrion Strand and Sandymount Strand in Dublin and Clifden in Co Galway.
The breach of EU standards by those beaches was highlighted yesterday by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in its annual report on bathing water quality in Ireland for 2001.
Dr Mícheál Lehane, a senior scientist with the EPA, said it was the second year in a row for Clifden to fail to meet minium standards and this was worrying. He urged Galway County Council to increase its monitoring of water quality in the area this summer and to find out what was causing the problem.
He said the water at all three polluted beaches was probably contaminated by bacteria from human or animal waste. In all areas sewage treatment was an issue, he confirmed, but a run-off of slurry from land in Clifden may also have contributed to the problem there.
"We are naming and shaming these beaches because it's important people know about water quality so they are able to make an informed choice on where they go bathing," Dr Lehane said.
"Three beaches have failed to meet minimum standards this year which is one more than last year, when Ardmore and Clifden were named and shamed. While the results are generally satisfactory we have three beaches failing to meet minimum standards and it's three too many," he added.
In addition, the water at one beach - Silver Strand in Galway - was found to contain salmonella. This has also been attributed to the lack of a sewage treatment plant but one is now being built in Galway Bay.
However, the EPA report points out that water quality at the vast majority of Irish bathing spots, both sea and fresh water, "is generally very good". Of 131 bathing areas tested, 128 (97.7 per cent) complied with the minimum mandatory standards laid down by EU legislation to protect public health and the environment.
In addition, 115 (87.8 per cent) complied with even higher standards, which although not mandatory are presented as "much stricter guideline values specified by the EU". This is a decline from the 2000 figure of 91.5 per cent.
The report stresses that Irish bathing waters remain consistently near the top of the EU bathing water league table.
However, 16 beaches, in addition to the three that failed minimum standards, are named as not meeting "guideline values" for faecal streptococci (an indicator of human or animal faecal pollution). It is desirable, but not mandatory, for beaches to meet these standards. The beaches in this category include Redbarn and Coolmaine in Cork; Seapoint, Killiney, Dollymount, Balbriggan, Donabate, Loughshinney, Skerries, Sutton, Portmarnock and Rush in Dublin; Salthill and An Cnoc at Inverin in Galway; Inny at Waterville in Kerry; and Bray in Co Wicklow.
Sampling has resumed for this year and will continue until August 31st. Blue flag winners will be announced next month by An Taisce.