The Mayo County Council has reached an agreement with An Taisce that beaches at Dooega and on Clare Island which get relatively little use will have lifeguard cover at the weekends only. Martin Keating, acting director of services for Mayo County Council, was giving a report on the Blue Flags awarded to beaches in Mayo. He told the meeting that in order to keep a Blue Flag a beach must have an adequate number of life guards on duty, but with some beaches having very low usage there was a difficulty in life-guarding them. Therefore the council came to an agreement with An Taisce for this summer season to have lifeguards on duty at Dooega and Clare Island at weekends only, but both beaches would be monitored and re-assessed at the year end with the other beaches.
The 13 beaches in Mayo given Blue Flags were; Elly Bay, Mullaghroe, Golden Strand, Clare Island, Dugort, Mulranny, Keel, Carrowmore, Bertra, Dooega, Keem, Old Head and Ross. Seven Mayo beaches were given Green Coast awards, which are for beaches that meet the EU bathing standards, but are also prized for their natural unspoilt environment. The seven Mayo beaches which were given this award were White Strand, Silver Strand, Carrowniskey, Cross, Termon, Srah and Portcloy.
