Councillor Eamon Quinlan is calling for Waterford City and County Council to adopt an 'action plan' for the restoration of the Dunmore East Blue Flag.
Three blue flags were awarded last week to beaches in Tramore, Ardmore, and Clonea with Dunmore losing Blue Flag status.
Many issues in Dunmore have been attributed to current water treatment measures.
Cllr. Quinlan says it's important for Dunmore East to regain its previous high status.
"Waterford has had three blue flags awarded to its beaches. Tramore, Ardmore, and Clonea. The status of a blue flag is vital to these communities in terms of their image and their ability to attract tourists. Nowhere is this more important that in Dunmore East which recently had its blue flag status withdrawn. Dunmore is not just a regular tourist location but with Cruise liners actively choosing to anchor there, it is a real attraction of choice and its reputation needs to be maintained as having beaches up there with the best of the best to maintain international and commercial interest."
"While blue flags are sometimes lost for a year and then restored the next, given the decision to withdraw the flag was based around ongoing water treatment measures, I and others are concerned that there is no way back for the foreseeable future to a blue flag. That is why the Council needs to adopt an action plan, where it can identify how to achieve its objectives in alternative ways but which importantly don't undermine the blue flag criteria",
