A Sligo councillor says the community can't keep replying on local surf schools and surfing enthusiasts to police the sea at Strandhill.
Sinead Maguire was speaking following an incident in the sea at the beach yesterday when three young people from Longford had to be rescued from the water.
It's understood they were taken unawares by a rip tide while they were wading in the sea and taken out of their depth.
One of the surf school staff who brought the girls to safety says the seriousness of what could have happened should make the authorities think again about the current resources at the beach.
Local Councillor Sinead Maguire has already made calls at council level for lifeguards to be allocated to the popular strand, and says this latest incident has to lead to a review of how the local authority can ensure peoples safety
"We need those professional, permanent people there on the beach in Strandhill who are trained, who can conduct rescues safely rather than the charity and the serendipity of local people who have jumped in so often. You speak to any of the surf schools, they'll tell you I pulled so many out this week or there was a rescue last week where somebody had to do it. That's on an ongoing basis and it's inadequate".
