Dublin Bay Authority will help protect ‘swimmers paradise’, says TD

Labour leader and Dublin Bay South TD Ivana Bacik has called for a Dublin Bay Authority to be enacted to protect and promote the “swimmers’ paradise” in Dublin.

While thousands of people took to the sea over Christmas week and many more expected to go for a dip throughout 2023, Deputy Bacik said swimmers’ health and safety must be protected through the introduction of year-round water quality monitoring.

“Despite the huge increase in popularity of sea swimming in Dublin Bay, there has been an abject lack of focus on protecting and promoting the biosphere,” she said.

“Earlier this month, the Government debated Labour’s Dublin Bay Bill which would create a new authority to take on the responsibility for coordinating the work of the many agencies and bodies currently engaged in the planning and development of the Bay Area.

“It is my hope that by next Christmas we will have a Dublin Bay Authority up and running to ensure the swimmers’ paradise is set up for seasonal dippers,” she said.

Deputy Bacik said sea swimmers are anxious about the water quality year-round, especially during times when it is not tested.

“As a regular sea swimmer myself in the South Wall and Seapoint areas in particular, I know that people are particularly concerned about the failure to improve water quality for our year-round swimmers.

“Year-round monitoring, particularly during the Christmas season, is hugely important to protect swimmers’ and public health.

“As well as water quality, there’s a need to focus on the amenities for swimmers.

“There’s a raft of regeneration work that the authority could consider.

“Better changing facilities and public toilets at swimming hot spots, the crumbling dereliction of the old Sandymount and Blackrock baths, adequate paving on the paths to and from popular swimming spots.

“These are the type of public amenities that we need to see restored and enhanced around the Dublin Bay area.”

Deputy Bacik says the Dublin Bay Authority would also be tasked with protecting the environmental integrity of the bay.

“Many walkers and nature lovers will enjoy some downtime by the Bay taking in walks from Howth to Sorrento Point,” she said.

“The environmental protection of these areas must be a key priority for the new authority, particularly to protect the natural habitats and wildlife in and around the Bay.

“All Dubliners have a strong connection to the body of water that stretches across the Bay.

“Dublin Bay is one of the greatest resources our city has.

“We all have strong connections to the bay and many of us share great memories of it too.”