Ireland's largest lifeguard facility has been officially open at the County Clare seaside resort of Lahinch.

Clare County Council constructed Lahinch Lifeguard Centre on the beach promenade.

The €340,000 facility was constructed by Ballinasloe-based contractor Mota Engil Ireland Construction Ltd.

Work on the project commenced in Spring 2008.

The new building features medical and first aid facilities, an observation room, external viewing deck, wet room, and a fully accessible toilet for staff and patients.

The new station, which has an environmentally friendly design, is also equipped with life saving equipment, and an external shower and wash down area.

Mayor of Clare, Madeleine Taylor Quinn, said the new centre would significantly increase lifeguard effectiveness and water safety at one of Ireland’s most popular seaside resorts.

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The Mayor said: "I hope that the provision of this permanent lifeguard centre will act as a precursor for the upgrading of other lifeguard facilities along the Clare coastline."

Liam Griffin, Civil Defence and Water Safety Officer with Clare County Council, added: "I am confident that that the overall design of and services provided by this building will set a precedent model for future lifeguard facilities in Clare and elsewhere throughout the country."

The Lifeguard Centre’s architecture and design team said the new building was designed to provide a compact building unit that would enable surveillance of the beach area whilst keeping in mind the sensitivity of the site location.

The ground floor plan houses the bathroom, shower room, storage and first aid treatment room. The upper level provides sea and beach views with an external balcony and glazing to three sides of the observation deck.

Equipped with a speaker system for public announcements, the building's finishes were selected with particular attention to the colours and textures prevalent in this part of Clare.

Limestone cladding to the perimeter wall was inspired by flagstone walls in the locality, while the zinc roof reflects the sky and sea colours in the distant horizon.

(PR/JM)