Bathers have been warned not to swim at nine popular swimming spots in Dublin due to heavy and persistent rainfall.
One new and three extended prohibition notices have been put in place by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.
The ban, which was imposed on Saturday, is now affecting Seapoint, close to Dún Laoghaire, and will remain in place until Thursday.
The no-swimming notice has also been extended at Blackrock Baths, Corbawn Strand and the Forty Foot.
Prior warning notices in place for five other bathing areas are to last until Thursday covering Coliemore Harbour, Sandycove, Dún Laoghaire Baths, Killiney Beach and Whiterock Beach.
In a statement the council outlined that “additional [water quality] sampling” is to be carried out.
It said that due to the weather forecast of “heavy and persistent rain over the weekend and into early next week, and the increased risk of storm water overflows,” the warning notices have been issued.
The council said the situation will be “monitored” over the weekend and tests are scheduled to take place at high tide 7am on Tuesday with results due on Thursday.
Several of the bathing spots affected have been closed on numerous occasions in recent years due to water quality issues caused primarily by heavy rainfall.
Last month the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classed the water quality at Dún Laoghaire Baths as “poor” due to isolated pollution incidents such as storm water overflows in 2025.
The agency said a bathing restriction/advisory notice had been issued.
However, the council questioned the EPA’s stance and noted that over a three-year period to 2026 the water met “good” standards, and until the current prohibition testing indicated it was excellent and safe for swimming.
