Years of neglect of Dublin Bay blasted - 'The smell travels miles'

Labour Councillor Dermot Lacey has called for a long-term vision for Dublin Bay, warning that co-ordinated planning is essential to support the city's future infrastructure and community needs

Add to preferred sources News Stephen Holland Local Democracy Reporter 14:14, 08 Oct 2026 Updated 14:14, 08 Oct 2026 View 2 Images Aerial view of Dublin, Ireland. The River Liffey makes its way out into Dublin Bay. (Image: Dave G Kelly)

Dublin councillors are calling for a co-ordinated approach to protect Dublin Bay as residents deal with raw sewage being discharged onto the beach.

Labour Cllr Dermot Lacey has called for a plan of action to address the “serious environmental problems” the Bay faces and to put steps in place to achieve full Blue Flag status for all of its beaches. He stressed the need for a co-ordinated approach between DCC, Fingal County Council, and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council on a joint approach among local authorities.

“Dublin Bay is one of our great assets in this city, or at least it should be, and yet it is not regarded and treated as such by all of us,” he stated. As the world's only capital-city Unesco Biosphere Reserve, the Pembroke representative spoke about the need for a holistic approach and to appropriately plan for the future.

Cllr Lacey’s motion was unanimously supported by his fellow councillors who highlighted the ongoing sewage problems faced by Sandymount residents, a lack of infrastructure and amenities, as well as the need for a bigger vision for Dublin Bay. While management said the Bathing Water Task Force established in 2019 already works on protecting and improving the Bay, Cllr Lacey said that this does not have any elected representation.

One of the most persistent and long-standing issues relating to Dublin Bay is the impact of raw sewage on various beaches, which has regularly led to its closure and a horrid smell that permeates across the area. Residents have long campaigned for this to be addressed and Dublin City Council has previously said the problem is the result of “domestic drainage misconnections, dog fouling, urban waste water and runoff”.

Fine Gael Cllr David Coffey believes if they are serious about achieving the environmental standards associated with Blue Flag beaches around the bay then they must tackle the issues standing in their way. He said that he has consistently been contacted by Sandymount locals about the “continued discharge of waste water into Dublin Bay”.

He cited overflow events from infrastructure operated by Uisce Éireann and the associated public health and environmental risks. With thousands of people enjoying beaches at Sandymount Strand and Merrion Strand every week, he called for untreated sewage to be addressed.

View 2 Images Sandymount Strand, Dublin (Image: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos)

Fianna Fáil Cllr Rory Hogan described the sewage problem as "disgusting" with a smell “that travels miles”. He cited children playing on dirty beaches and dogs bringing sewage back into people’s homes. “I can’t imagine the poor residents who live right next to it who have to put up with the smell,” he said.

The value of access to nature cannot be understated according to Social Democrats Cllr Karl Stanley who said the potential of the Bay as a public amenity really shone during the pandemic. The impact of climate change and severe flooding events puts the Bay in danger, and he called for steps to be put in place to ensure sustainable urban drainage systems are put in place.

Cllr Lacey commended work being done around the Dublin Bay Biosphere Reserve but said a lack of infrastructure is what is holding back it reaching its full potential. He pointed out a lack of public toilets and changing rooms in particular.

“Dublin Bay is a great asset, it’s a great resource and it’s been treated quite poorly. Not denying all the good work people do around it but we should and can do better. Let’s make Dublin Bay the quality bay that it can be.”

“Dublin Bay doesn’t stop at Merrion Gates" Cllr Lacey said, stating this is where the water and governance structure comes to an end. “I’m simply suggesting that, as a start, we try and get a group of people together who will start to look at the Bay and then we try and develop a plan, hopefully in conjunction with the two other councils.”

Sinn Féin Cllr Mícheál Mac Donncha said the Bay suffers from being overseen by a multiplicity of agencies and stakeholders without any of them truly taking charge. He pointed out that Howth used to be under jurisdiction of the then Dublin Corporation and described its current “neglect” by Fingal County Council as “one of my bugbears."

Blue Flag status for beaches around Dublin Bay is a strong aspiration, but People Before Profit Cllr Conor Reddy said this is an opportunity to take things even further and consider the rivers that run into the Bay. He cited a recent event hosted by Former Lord Mayor and Green Party rep Caroline Conway for World Rivers Day, which highlighted how Dublin rivers affect the Bay.

Cllr Reddy said swimming in rivers is much more commonplace around Europe and that a working group focusing on the Bay should also consider the potential of rivers as a public amenity for swimming. “Let’s not set the ceiling too low, I think this is a huge opportunity,” he said.

With many Irish rivers standing out as hotspots for dumping and pollution, the majority of the population avoid swimming in them. This is in sharp contrast to places like Switzerland, where river swimming stands out as a central cultural activity where the population come together to socialise and exercise.

Independent Cllr Mannix Flynn expressed serious concern that Dublin Bay stands out as a heritage site recognised the world over but yet “seems to have no status when it comes to the local authorities that are actually supposed to be looking after it”. He called the historical neglect of this "natural phenomena" is “nothing short of vandalism”.

A Dublin City Council manager said that Dublin Bay is their “jewel in the crown” in relation to amenities and that when it comes to water quality it has maintained a ‘good’ status while the Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Plant caters to 40% of the country’s wastewater.

They said much of the ambition of Cllr Lacey’s motion are related to the goals of the Bathing Water Task Force, which aims to address pollution in Dublin Bay. While the group is made up of representatives from the Department of Housing, Uisce Éireann, and Dublin City, Fingal, and Dun Laoghaire council officials, Cllr Lacey called for elected representatives to also be included.

The council said they share the “sentiment” of the motion, but that water quality is generally in decline across Ireland that the goal of Blue Flag status for beaches around the Bay would be a further away goal. Currently, the Task Force’s goal relates to ensuring high enough water quality for designated bathing spots.

This content is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme

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