Culdaff incensed after losing Blue Flag 06.06.07

The people of Culdaff are incensed after the local beach lost its coveted Blue Flag status. An Taisce said Culdaff lost the flag mainly due to environmental management problems including persistent camping in the sand dunes.
	An angry local Councillor, Bernard McGuinness called for an inquiry into why Donegal County Council failed to act on a motion tabled by him last year to address the camping problems. "A motion of mine was passed last year calling for bye-laws that would prohibit camping in the dunes. The officials said they needed those bye-laws in order to do something about the camping but nothing was done about it," he told InishowenNews.com.
"I am now seeking an urgent meeting with the County Manager, Michael McLoone with a view to appealing the decision to take away the Blue Flag and to find out why officials in the Council allowed this to happen." He said camping had become a problem in the picturesque location. "Some campers are tidy and others leave a lot of rubbish. But there is sufficient land around the area belonging to the Council to allow for a specially designated camping area."

Cllr. McGuinness said local people including business owners were 'very, very annoyed' at the loss of the environmental award. However, he said Culdaff beach was so popular he envisaged the usual high numbers of visitors throughout the summer.
A total of 80 bathing areas and three marinas were granted Blue Flag status for 2007. Donegal retained eleven blue flags including the reinstatement of one at Killahoey. The ten other awards went to Bundoran, Carrickfinn, Fintra, Lisfannon, Marble Hill, Murvagh, Narin-Portnoo, Portsalon, Rossnowlagh and Shroove. The two other beaches to lose their Blue Flag status were Enniscrone, Co. Sligo due to water quality and Doonbeg, Co. Clare, due to safety and access problems arising from coastal erosion. An Taisce, the awards co-ordinator, revealed that strict rules on recycling almost lost Ireland 20 of its International Blue Flags this year. Local authorities including Donegal had to move quickly to install recycling facilities to comply with the new standards for Blue Flag status.
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