Galway County Council has agreed to consult with watersport bodies on proposed beach bye-laws which would have banned all activities apart from swimming on 24 beaches.
Officials and councillors agreed that watersport representative bodies would meet the county council’s Strategic Policy Committee Meeting early next year.
The meeting will discuss zoning, maps and “any other issues with a view to amending or otherwise the proposed bye-laws”.
Opponents of the bye-laws welcomed the development, stating that “with this broad agreement in place and no opposition, Galway County Council are showing very positive signs and ‘goodwill’”.
“We all look forward to engaging with them positively next year,” it said.
Under the draft legislation, sailing, kayaking, windsurfing, stand-up paddling and horse-riding would be banned at 24 beaches extending from the Aran islands to Connemara to Portumna with a risk of fines of up to €1900.
The by-laws propose that “no person shall windsurf on sailboards or kite-surf on kiteboards or surf on a surfboard or use a canoe, kayak, dinghy, stand-up paddle board or water bike in close proximity to bathers”.
The draft bye-laws also propose banning dog walking between 11 am and 7 pm and ensuring dogs are on a leash outside these hours during summer months.
Bans on the use of inflatable water devices on open water, and personal watercraft, power craft and fast power craft within 300m of the low water mark at the time of use, “except for the purpose of rescue”, are also proposed.