merrion street

Environment Minister Phil Hogan today presented the 2011 Blue Flag and Green Coast Awards in a ceremony at Curracloe beach, Co Wexford.

The Blue Flag is an international award for beach excellence which is operated in Ireland by An Taisce with support from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.  The award is presented to beaches and marinas which have excellent water quality and which achieve high standards across a wide range of other criteria including management of the environment, safety and other services.  This year, 84 Blue Flags have been awarded, an increase of 8 in the number awarded in 2010. The Blue Flag programme has been operating in Ireland since 1988 and in the years since then, the Blue Flag has become a highly respected, internationally recognised eco-label of huge significance to the tourism sectors.

The Green Coast awards, which were introduced in 2008, are given to beaches which have excellent water quality but which may be less developed than Blue Flag beaches.

Speaking today at the ceremony, Minister Hogan paid tribute to the various stakeholders

...behind each of the 84 recipients lies a team of people who worked extremely  hard to make the grade and to each and every one of them I extend my sincere congratulations.

The Minister also noted the record number of Blue Flags awarded:

This increase is very welcome and is due to the combined efforts of the Local Authorities and coastal communities on the ground as well as those in the wider catchment who are playing their part in working to improve water quality.