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Blue Flags & Green Coast Awards retained by Salthill and Silverstrand Beaches.

Galway City has retained its 2 Blue Flags for Salthill and Silverstand. The awards were presented by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Mr. John Gormley, T.D., and Dr. Dave Foster, Director of the recently-established Northern Ireland Environment Agency, at a joint North/South awards ceremony on Dollymount Strand in Dublin City on Wednesday 3rd June.

The second year of the National Green Coast Award has seen both Silverstrand and Salthill beaches receiving awards for the second year in row. In addition to environmental, beach management, safety and services considerations, both the Blue Flag Award and the Green Coast Award have stringent water quality criteria which must be adhered to.

Charles Stanley-Smith, Chairman, An Taisce (left) & Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Mr. John Gormley, T.D (right) present Blue Flags for Salthill and Silverstrand Beaches to Sinead Johnstone, Galway City Council (centre) at an awards ceremony on Dollymount Strand in Dublin City on Wednesday 3rd June

Commenting on retaining the 2 Green Coast Awards along with the 2 Blue Flags, City Manager Joe MacGrath said

"People from all over the world look at the Blue Flags and know what they stand for, it is  marvellous for locals and tourists to be able to visit either of the 2 beaches in Galway City and see a Blue Flag flying - it’s a guarantee that the beach is of a very high standard, both in terms of water quality, and facilities. We must all ensure that we play our part by looking at the beach area as our own unique outdoor space and the staff in Galway City Council that have ensured the city’s beaches reach this very highest standard deserve huge credit"

And Mayor of Galway Cllr. Pádraig Conneely continued with

"Tourists come to Galway to enjoy the city, the culture and the clean environment which is undoubtedly enhanced by 2 Blue Flag beaches within the city, we can be proud of achieving the high quality standard of bathing water. It is now important that local communitutes, businesses and each one of us continue to help maintain these high standards by ensuring that the beaches remain litter free, and also by keeping a close eye on any activities that may threaten our wonderful beaches."

The number of Blue Flags in the Republic of Ireland has decreased by three this year to 77: 75 for beaches and 2 for marinas. Losses were due to sites failing to meet the Blue Flag Water Quality Criteria which can be attributed to heavy rainfall during the 2008 bathing season. Heavy rainfall causes increased run off and puts pressure on Waste Water Treatment Plants which has a knock-on effect on the quality of water at bathing areas.

At the awards ceremony, An Taisce announced the introduction of a new beach awards website for Ireland. The site has information on all award beaches in the country as well as information on the awards and bathing water quality. The address is www.beachawards.ie

Notes:

2009 Main Points

Blue Flag Details:

• 83 Applications Received.
• 75 Beaches and 2 Marinas Awarded for 2009.
• Clogherhead has received its first Blue Flag Award for 11 years in 2009.
• Greystones has had its Blue Flag reinstated for this year.
• 5 Beaches (Enniscrone, Rosses Point, Magherabeg, Redbarn and Duncannon) have entered a Blue Flag pilot phase which makes them eligible for awards in 2010 if they achieve appropriate water quality and fulfil all Blue Flag Criteria during 2009. 
• 4 beaches (Killiney, Portrane, Magherabeg and Claycastle) lost their Blue Flags because of failure to meet the very stringent Blue Flag water quality standards.
• Seapoint did not apply for a Blue Flag this year.
• The International Blue Flag Awards are supported in the Republic of Ireland by the Department of Environment Heritage and Local Government.

Green Coast Award Details:

• 40 Beaches have been awarded the Green Coast Award for 2009. This compares with 33 for 2008.
• 2009 is the second year that the Green Coast Award has been conducted nation-wide. The award was piloted for 5 years in the South East of the country as part of an Interreg III programme
• 56 applications were received for the awards. The majority of those that were unsuccessful, failed on water quality criteria, while the remainder were rejected on beach management grounds
• The award scheme was extended to Northern Ireland during 2009 and is administered by Tidy Northern Ireland.
• There will be 4 awards in Northern Ireland for 2009
• The award forms one part of the two-part Clean Coast Programme the second of which is Coast Care.
• Coast Care encourages local community groups to get involved in the environmental management and protection of their local coastline. The programme can assist with this work by supplying materials, contacts and advice on coastal environmental issues.
• An Taisce are also presenting two merit awards to a group and an individual who have been influential in improving their local coastal environment: These are Arklow Coastcare Group and Máire O’Brien, Portmarnock Beach Committee.
• The Clean Coasts Programme is sponsored in the Republic of Ireland by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Coca-Cola Bottlers Ireland and Fáilte Ireland
• The programme is sponsored in Northern Ireland by Coca-Cola Bottlers Northern Ireland

Further Information:
Máire Ní Mhulláin - 091 536445

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