North Dublin has fared badly in the latest bathing water quality report from the Environmental Protection Agency.
The EPA says Irish bathing water quality is high, but it remains concerned that sewage is still turning up on our beaches.
97% of beaches comply with minimum EU standards. The failures were at Balbriggan and Malahide in Fingal, Clifden in Galway and Dunmore East in Waterford.
Two other Fingal beaches, at Sutton and Loughshinny, failed stricter EU guide standards. Dollymount Strand in Dublin City Council also failed.
To underline the problem, of nine beaches which failed national standards, six were in Fingal, including Rush and Portmarnock.
This report also coincides with a major row over the proposed construction of a wastewater treatment plant at Portrane, Co Dublin.
11 local authorities fully complied with EU standards: Cork County, Donegal, Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown, Galway City, Kerry, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow.
