Galway City Council has agreed to meet watersports representatives over the decision to ban all activity except swimming at Silver Strand beach.
However, the local authority has refused to remove the sign informing the public about the ban.
A motion before Galway City Council last week had called for immediate removal of signage, along with meaningful consultation and planning for beach management and zoning.
The meeting was told by Galway City Council director of services for operational development Patrick Greene that the signs were erected on the advice of Water Safety Ireland and an accredited risk assessor.
“If we don’t have the signs, our Blue Flags are at risk,”he told the meeting.
Silver Strand is described on the beaches.ie website as being “used year round for swimming and windsurfing”.
“The tidal inlet of Lough Rusheen, located behind Silverstrand Beach is a long established centre for water sports," it says.
In April 2021, watersports bodies submitted a document to both Galway City and County councils with recommendations on beach management for Silver Strand.
“While we did receive an acknowledgment of receipt, our request for a meeting and further discussion did not receive a response,” Brian Coll, spokesman for the group, said.
Fine Gael city councillor Clodagh Higgins who tabled the motion – which has been left on the agenda until the council’s next meeting in September – said she has requested sight of reports and correspondence cited by the city council as justification for the signage.
She told The Galway City Tribune that it was not just about a sign, but about transparency. She noted that Clare has nine Blue Flag beaches and continues to support water-based activity without banning access.
