Swimmers were today told the waters off the Wexford coast were safe today after the county's four top beaches lost their Blue Flag status.
Eamon Hore, a senior engineer with Wexford County Council, said it was difficult to explain water tests at the beaches that had resulted in the loss of the cleanliness badge.
The county's four popular bathing spots - at Curracloe, Courtown, Duncannon and Rosslare - lost out on keeping on the prestigious badge, as 82 Blue Flags were awarded across the country, a new record.
Mr Hore said: "Already this year we have taken three samples at each of those beaches. In fact we have sampled 10 beaches already together.
"At the four Blue Flag beaches we have taken three samples at May 17th, May 24th and May 31st . . . every single one of these samples are well within the Blue Flag guidelines limits. So already for this year we would be halfway to regaining Blue Flag status."
Mr Hore said the Blue Flag status was lost due to two particularly poor microbiological test results late in last year's bathing season.
Mr Hore said: "They seemed like rogue results, taken in the context of 17 years or 18 years of previous results, where we have received the Blue Flag award and did not exceed the microbiological parameters.
"They were difficult to explain and came right at the end of the bathing season, which didn't allow time to take further results."
Mr Hore said the results were not due to wastewater as there are no outlets for sewage near Curracloe, and an €18 million wastewater scheme was commissioned in Courtown several years ago.
An Taisce has confirmed Ireland was awarded 82 Blue Flags by the International Blue Flag Jury for 2005 - run by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) - with 78 of the country's beaches found within the criteria for cleanliness and environmental awareness.
Dublin is now one of five European capital beaches with a blue flag beach.