Council to vacuum city beaches

Smelly dried out seaweed that attracts flies; dirty driftwood and plastic marine debris washed-up onshore; and broken glass, are just some of the hazards beachgoers in the city will have to contend with during the sunny weather this coming weekend.

However, the sun worshippers’ beach problems should be lessened this summer – the local authority has tendered for a big ‘beach hoover’ for cleaning its beaches.

Galway City Council has issued public tenders for the supply and delivery of a ‘beach cleaning machine’ for the coming Summer.

The Department of Recreation and Amenity will weight up its option of buying a machine or leasing one for use on the city’s three main beaches at Salthill, Silverstrand and Ballyloughane.

“It does exactly what it says on the tin: It cleans beaches,” a spokesperson for Galway City Council said.

“What it is, is a vehicle, like a tractor or driven lawn mower that has a raking element that picks up all the seaweed and hoovers up all the plastics and debris. So you drive onto the beach. It leaves the sand behind. It will be used on our three beaches.”