Warnings are in place about the bathing water quality at 36 beaches around the country this weekend following days of heavy rainfall.
Bathers are being warned of the possibility of an increase in the levels of bacteria due to heavy rain,
and are being advised to avoid swallowing or splashing water, swimming with an open cut or wound, or swimming while pregnant.
John Edwards, who runs Wild Water Adventures in Fenit in Co Kerry, has highlighted how the heavy rain and warnings around the quality of bathing water are having a "huge effect" on water-based activities.
Fenit Beach is one of the areas with restrictions in place around the country this weekend after recent heavy rainfall.
13 beaches around Dublin are affected, along with six beaches in Co Clare, four in Co Galway and three in Co Kerry, as well as other beaches and lakes on the east and west coasts.
Mr Edwards said the restriction at Fenit relates to possible pollution with a prior warning issued around water quality due to suspected heavy rainfall.
He added there has been a huge amount of rainfall and that there were some days in July when the water was discoloured due to run-off from the land.
Speaking on RTÉ's This Week programme, he said tours and some swim events and swim training have had to be cancelled, adding that "it does have a huge effect".
Mr Edwards explained that a lot of small businesses invest in activities at the beaches and said it is "a bit of a disaster" for these businesses.
However, while there was a prior warning for Fenit Beach this weekend, it was not impacted by the heavy rainfall this weekend.
He believes more should be done to address the issues they are facing and to identify the sources of pollution.
Mr Edwards recommends a faster turnaround of testing of bathing waters as he said sometimes it can take several days for the results to be provided.
A Green Party councillor in Lahinch, Co Clare has said issues around bathing quality has been a problem for a number of years in this part of the county with E.coli or bacteria in the water.
Liam Grant said there was a swimming ban two years ago at Lahinch as he described the impact it had on the area which is very popular for both surfing and swimming.
"When it happens it is very bad for tourism," Mr Grant added.
He said in Lahich, and in other parts of Clare, there are a lot of issues with wastewater treatment facilities which come under pressure during heavy rain.
He added there have been two prior warnings this year and one Do Not Swim notice.
Councillor Grant said at Lahinch, Spanish Point and other beaches in the area, the water quality is "not what it should be."
He criticised the turnaround times in getting results after bathing water is tested saying the changes in water quality can happen quickly where it can go from bad to good quite quickly.
He was also critical of the lack of "adequate" wastewater treatment facilities in the area.
"When there is heavy rain, that floods the treatment plant and then it ends up bypassing it and we just get raw sewage going out to the sea.
"That will happen quite a lot in Lahinch and in heavy rain the rainwater and wastewater mixing together and going straight out into the sea untreated. That is a huge problem," Mr Grant said.
He explained this issue is one Uisce Éireann needs to address and is one that is happening in other parts of the country.
He said while he goes into the water himself, he would be concerned for children and older people who would be more prone to getting sick.
See a full list of beaches affected by restrictions and warnings here.
