As the official bathing season draws to a close this month, Water Safety Ireland is calling on parents and families to dispose of their inflatable toys.

Earlier this week, Afloat’s Tom MacSweeney interviewed Water Safety Ireland chief John Leech, who explained why such inflatable toys — which often resemble canoes, lilos or cartoon animals, and are not to be confused with towable inflatables — are not suited to Ireland’s unpredictable offshore breezes.

Water Safety Ireland also said it is unfair on rescue services to have to have to respond to avoidable incidents involving these “inflatable killers”, after a summer that saw a rise in callouts involving these toys as families staycationed amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Listen to the John Leech interview on Tom MacSweeney’s latest podcast for Afloat.ie HERE.