Phil Hogan, Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government, has presented the Irish Water Safety awards at a ceremony in Dublin City Hall.

Minister Hogan paid tribute to Irish Water Safety [IWS] and thanked the volunteer membership for promoting water safety and saving lives on a daily basis. He complimented IWS on the effectiveness of their educational programmes. In particular he lauded those programmes aimed at children – AquaAttack and Primary Aquatics Water Safety (P.A.W.S.). He stressed that it was very important to target children, to get them at an early age to recognise that water can be dangerous and to know how to avoid these dangers while enjoying the fantastic resource that water is.

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Tragically the figure for drownings in 2010 was 112. The Minister said this figure represents a personal heartfelt loss for friends and family. However, he went on to say that the figures were the lowest for 58 years due to the dramatic efforts of individuals who saved others from drowning and the ongoing work of volunteers in teaching swimming and rescue skills.

The Minister presented fifteen "SEIKO Just in Time" awards in recognition of eleven lives saved in dramatic near-death incidents. Other awards included Life Governor Certificates and Medals; International Awards; Irish Water Safety Service Awards; Recognition Awards and the Charles Thomson Local Authority Award. The Volunteer of the Year award was presented to Michael Gavin, Mayo Water Safety Area Committee, in recognition for his long and fruitful involvement with IWS.

Minister Hogan also thanked everyone who contributes in many and varying ways to help Irish Water Safety complete its work.

(CD)