It is pouring rain outside, which means that the sea quality in Dún Laoghaire and Dublin Bay is unlikely to be good for anyone thinking of taking a dip, which many do since Covid. We never know what the sea quality is from beach to beach or area to area because the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and the Minister of State, Deputy Malcolm Noonan, will not agree to year-round testing of water quality. The reason given in a parliamentary question was that it might result in beach closures, which is literally the point. It is like people not going to the doctor in case they are told that they are sick. People actually want to know if the water is okay or not. I cannot understand this response from the Department. The Ministers of State, Deputy Noonan, and my Dún Laoghaire colleague, Green Party Deputy Ossian Smyth, are at the Department. I know sea swimmers across Dublin are concerned. I know Deputy Bacik has engaged on this. We just want to know if the water is clean or not.

Has Deputy Bacik engaged in swimming or on the issue?

It is both. Is it clean or not clean? It is as simple as testing the water all year round so people know that they will get sick or not when they get in for an auld dip.

Our Department has made huge strides in working with SOS Dublin Bay on the monitoring issue. Separately, on days when there is severe rainfall, the general advice is not to swim for a few days afterwards. That is good advice. I spoke to Deputy Bacik this morning. We would be happy to provide a briefing to Deputies on progress that has been made. Significant progress has been made on monitoring water quality in Dublin Bay.