However, the latest results available for the water quality at Seapoint in a test taken on August 5 show that the coliform count had risen to 5,700 - which is massively over the Blue Flag limit and also exceeds the acceptable national limit for bathing water.
An Taisce tests the water 20 times during the bathing season, which lasts from mid May until the end of August each year.
The coordinator of the Blue Flag for An Taisce, Jimmy McVeigh, pointed out that at least 20 per cent of the tests during the season would have to exceed the Blue Flag limit for the flag to be withdrawn.

“We have to work within the criteria that are set down by the international Blue Flag, so we can’t really go outside of those and withdraw the flag,” he said.
“We are monitoring the situation,” he added. “The local authority can take down the flag if they choose. It is ultimately their decision but if the criteria is breached we would request the local authority to take the flag down.”
Mr McVeigh admitted that the high coliform levels on August 5 were “undoubtedly linked to the overflows”.
Victor Boyhan, who is a regular swimmer at Seapoint and a member of An Taisce, has questioned the Blue Flag status of Seapoint.
He told Southside People he had witnessed human excrement and toilet paper floating in the water at the beach recently and he linked this to the recent overflows.
“There are health issues here,” he said. “I think the HSE and the Environmental Protection Agency need to be brought in to check it.
“For the integrity of the Blue Flag we want the highest standards maintained in Seapoint,” he said. “If An Taisce is saying they need five serious offences before they take the Blue Flag away then in my opinion that is a joke.”
Breach
He added: “I am calling on the Blue Flag to take action against the council. One breach of levels is one too many.”
In addition, Mr Boyhan described the location of a major sewage pumping station at Seapoint Beach as “peculiar”.
Another regular user of the beach, David Marlborough, claimed that he and a friend had experienced sore throats and inflamed glands after swimming at Seapoint recently.
“The Blue Flag has a very limited remit in the sense that a beach can have Blue Flag status and the average punter driving past thinks it must be perfectly good for swimming. But from what we know it is not as clear-cut as that,” he said.
“Obviously the thing [sewage pumping station] is not up to the mark and the council are trotting out excuses.”
He added: “I want to see that pressure is brought to bear on the county council and for them to admit that there is a problem. Secondly, they have to update their equipment [at the sewage pumping station]. It’s as simple as that.”
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