Ulster Unionist Environment spokesperson Tom Elliott has welcomed the announcement by the Marine Conservation Society’s Good Beach Guide that all of Northern Ireland’s beaches meet EU bathing water standards with 16 of these being listed as “excellent”.
Mr Elliott said:
“This is a welcome improvement on last year’s findings when less than half of Northern Ireland’s beaches were recommended for swimming in the Marine Conservation Society’s “Good Beach Guide”.
A lot of hard work has gone into ensuring that 16 of our 24 beaches are now recommended for their bathing water quality and all 24 met the basic standard.
Our beaches are a great natural asset and are enjoyed by both locals and visitors alike. It is essential that we take action to ensure that our beaches are maintained to the highest standards.
This will become even more challenging as we strive to meet the even more stringent requirements of the revised Bathing water Directive which will come into force in 2015.”