Bettystown Beach awarded first Blue Flag in almost 30 years

Bettystown Beach has been awarded its first Blue Flag Award in almost 30 years as part of the International Blue Flag and National Green Coast Awards for 2024.

The announcement was at a special ceremony held in the Galway Bay Hotel overlooking Salthill Blue Flag beach yesterday (Monday) afternoon.

Bettystown Beach received the prestigious accolade for the first time since 1996. Meanwhile, Mornington Beach has retained its Green Flag for another year.

The international environmental award is made to beaches and marinas throughout the world that demonstrate good environmental standards and have good sanitary and safety facilities.

85 Beaches and nine marinas awarded the Blue Flag for 2024. 82 of the 85 beaches awarded in 2023 have retained Blue Flag status for the 2024 bathing season.

Local Fine Gael Councillor and long time environment and beach enthusiast, Sharon Tolan has today welcomed the announcement Tolan travelled to Salthill in Galway to receive the Award on behalf of Meath County Council, along with members of the LA’s Environment Department, Larry Whelan and Bernadine Carry.

“I am so delighted with this news," said Cllr Tolan. "Achieving a Blue Flag for Bettystown has been an ambition of mine for many years now, at times many would have said it was only a dream and never going to be possible," she added.

"I am very proud of the part I played over the last ten years in order to achieve this. I want to thank the amazing Bettystown Tidy Towns for their work, we would quite simply not have gotten to this day without them.

"Their work and dedication to enhancing and protecting the beach, education and awareness, delivering projects like the Burrows Boardwalk and marram grass planting have all been instrumental in securing the Blue Flag this year.

"I am of course also very grateful to Meath County Council Executive and Staff for collaborating with me and local groups, listening and working so hard to achieve all of the complex criteria that is required for Blue Flag status.

"I am delighted we have secured our Green Flag for Mornington again this year, and I am committed to seeing Flags awarded to Laytown and Gormanston into the future. We truly have a very special coastline that is deserving of these awards” said Tolan.

Cathaoirleach of the Laytown-Bettystown Municipal District, Cllr Stephen McKee, has warmly welcomed the new blue flag beach status for Bettystown beach.

McKee said: " The Blue Flag is an international environmental award made to beaches that demonstrate excellent environmental standards with high sanitary and safety facilities. It is something very worthwhile to have pursued for Bettystown beach to promote tourism and as a quality amenity for local people so this is great news.

"The upcoming opening of the new Civic & Library building in Bettystown will provide much-needed facilities for beach users. I am pleased also that the Blue Flag beach plan includes a designated blue-flag beach area where dogs, except for guide dogs, will be restricted from at particular times of the day.

"The proposal is that a small section of beach on entry onto Bettystown beach (the soft sand area) will become the blue-flag beach area. This is where families with children and others normally go on Summer beach days. Dogs would be restricted from this area between 11am and 7pm between the months of June to September. Outside of these hours, no restrictions would apply.

"I think the approach is very reasonable to everyone. I recently tabled a motion calling for the greater control of animals, and dogs in particular, on our local beaches and this was adopted by the Council. So this progress follows on the back of my motion. The vast majority of dog owners are very responsible but people do tell me of bad experiences they or family members have had with dogs that are not being properly controlled by their owners."

The Blue Flag is one of the world’s most recognised environmental awards. Originating in France in 1985 it was launched as an International programme as part of the "European Year of the Environment in 1987. In 1988, the first year sites were awarded outside of France 19 beaches and 2 marinas received the Blue Flag in Ireland. 2024 is the 37th year that beaches and marinas have been awarded here in Ireland, with 94 beaches and marinas being awarded for the 2024 season.

The programme aims to raise environmental awareness and promote sound environmental management of beaches, marinas and eco-tourism boats around the world.

An Taisce – The National Trust for Ireland is responsible for the operation of the Blue Flag programme in Ireland on behalf of the Foundation of Environmental Education (FEE). 48 Countries operate the Blue Flag programme globally and more than 5000 beaches, marinas and tourism boats will be awarded the Blue Flag this year. The Blue Flag programme in Ireland is supported by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.