Council condemns 'reckless' removal of lifebuoys in Ardee

The council said lifebuoys were deliberately removed from their stands and thrown into the River Dee

Published 22nd Apr 2026, 13:00 BST Members of Boyne Fishermen’s Rescue and Recovery, pictured retrieving lifebuoys from the River Dee The council said lifebuoys were deliberately removed from their stands and thrown into the River Dee Louth County Council has strongly condemned recent incidents in which lifebuoys were deliberately removed from their stands and thrown into the River Dee in Ardee .

The Council said it was forced to request assistance from Boyne Fishermen’s Rescue and Recovery, who retrieved the lifebuoys from the water.

Sign up to our Louth Live newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Louth Live within your account.

In a statement, the local authority said: "A lifebuoy is a vital piece of life-saving equipment, and its presence can mean the difference between life and death in an emergency.

Removing or tampering with a lifebuoy is an act of vandalism that puts lives at risk and shows a total disregard for the safety of the local community.

If a lifebuoy is missing when someone is in distress in the water, the consequences could be fatal."

Read Next: E-scooters to remain part of Dundalk mobility hubs despite safety concerns

Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council, Cllr Seán Kelly described the incidents as "reckless and unacceptable".

"Lifebuoys are there to save lives, and every lifebuoy taken out of place puts people at real risk and wastes the time of volunteer rescue services."

“In this case, this diversion of emergency resources was entirely avoidable, and I would ask those responsible to stop immediately and think about the danger they are causing,” he said.

Louth County Council said it is fully committed to water safety across all waterways and locations in the county and urged anyone who witnesses interference with lifebuoys is encouraged to report it immediately to the relevant authorities.

Related topics: Louth Louth County Council Ardee Seán Kelly Sign up to our Louth Live newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Louth Live within your account.