Water Safety

You must apply to the local authority for a permit if you engage in leisure and sporting activities on public beaches.

Local authorities may provide lifeguards to beaches and outdoor swimming areas during the summer season.

Local authorities, together with other relevant agencies, may manage the lighting, buoying, raising, removal and selling of merchant shipwrecks so that they are not a safety threat to navigation, lifeboats or other vessels on coasts, harbours or beaches.

Local authorities may provide and maintain ringbuoys along riverbanks, and on bridges, piers and beaches to promote water safety.

Local authorities may provide information and advice about water safety.

Local authorities, together with Irish Water Safety, may run lifesaver training courses, beach lifeguard academies, and safe swimming and boating campaigns to promote water safety on public beaches, lakes and waterways.