Youghal Town Council is to commission a new safety health and safety audit on the town’s diving rocks, following the closure of the popular bathing area on health and safety grounds.
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The decision follows public outrage and strong rejection of the closure by town councillors at June’s town council meeting. The meeting unanimously supported a motion from Cllr Barbara Murray for a new, independent survey and an assessment of how best to ensure that the area is quickly rendered as safe as is practicable.

Town Manager Patricia Power ordered the closure of the popular bathing area adjacent to the Youghal lighthouse three weeks ago weeks ago, following a safety audit report from the Irish Water Safety Association.

Ms Power told June’s meeting that she had ordered the audit after being informed of safety concerns through the county council’s health and safety section, thus dissipating the perception that concern had arisen amongst the public.

There had never been an accident at the spot through its 160 years history but the report included a town council-provided diving board, emergency access and an un-railed walkway amongst its concerns.

Youghal town councillors were unanimous in their contention that personal responsibility should apply, such as pertains to places like Skelling Michael and even the town’s quayside. They challenged the reports credibility on the grounds that it lacked “local knowledge,” insisted that emergency services had easy access by sea to an area in which they actually trained and argued that the closure of pedestrian access/exit now endangered those accessing the area from the beach.

It was also contended that life-long, octogenarian users are now climbing a wall to reach the rocks. The councillors claim that minor repairs and adequate signage was sufficient remedy to re-open the facility.

The manager insisted that she had had no option and would “not sit over a situation” where she was told somewhere was very unsafe. However she accepted the motion’s request and said the new report’s findings would be assessed with a view to implementing its recommendations as soon as possible.

The audit, costing €2,500, will be conducted by Chris Me, Safety Engineering Cork and will focus on practical safety rather than structural issues. Crucially it will occur in summer conditions and by a firm familiar with Youghal.