People will be advised not to swim at Cuas Crom beach near Cahersiveen for the whole summer.
It was revealed at the recent Kenmare Municipal District meeting that water quality at the beach has now been officially designated as poor by the Environmental Protection Agency.
As a result, Kerry County Council is obliged to erect notices at the beach, advising members of the public not to swim there.
The Cuas Crom beach became a designated bathing area in 2019.
The Environmental Protection Agency carried out an assessment of water quality at the beach over the course of 2019 and 2020.
At the recent Kenmare Municipal District meeting, environment officer with Kerry County Council, Ger O'Brien, revealed to councillors that issues with water quality arose during the 2020 bathing season.
Cuas Crom was one of a number of beaches around the county where a ban on bathing was put in place following heavy rainfall last summer.
Mr O'Brien told councillors that high levels of e-coli were detected at the beach.
As a result, poor bathing quality will be allocated to Cuas Crom beach for the entirety of the 2021 bathing season, which runs from June 1st to September 15th.
Although there is not a ban on swimming, the council is to erect notices to advise people against bathing for this period.
Cllr Norma Moriarty said Cuas Crom is the most popular of the beaches in the area among locals, and they don't just use it during the bathing season.
She asked if there had been any reports of people becoming ill because of the water quality at the beach, and how Kerry County Council can improve the situation.
Mr O'Brien replied that he was not aware of any reports of people becoming ill.
He added the council is required to put a management plan in place to address the issue, which will include additional water quality monitoring, on-site inspections, and surveys of the catchment area.
He says the council will do everything to ensure the poor quality designation will be lifted for 2022.
