Water Safety Information and Advice

Laois County Council may provide information and advice about water safety.

  1. Water safety classes
  2. Schools programme
  3. Safety tips 
  4. Further information
  5. Related links

Laois Water Safety

Laois Water Safety is a voluntary body established to promote water safety in County Laois. We educate people in water safety best practices, develop public awareness campaigns to promote necessary attitudes, rescue skills and behaviour to prevent drownings and water related accidents. Laois Water Safety aims to:

  • Teach swimming and lifesaving courses to children and adults. Recipients build skills in swimming, water confidence, safety, survival, rescue skills and resuscitation. Participants can progress to qualify as Pool and Beach Lifeguards.
  • Conduct lectures and demonstrations to members of the Public and other interested parties.
  • To promote a program in which National School teachers are coached in teaching water safety principles to their pupils.
  • Distribute literature to promote water safety and target at-risk groups. Popular posters include safe boating, safe swimming, and lifejacket posters.
  • Issue advice on all aspects of water safety. Press Releases are available all year round, which target the seasonal hazards on Irish waterways.
  • Provide information on the locations of Lifeguarded beaches in Ireland.

For a complete list of Water Safety links and contacts visit Irish Water Safety

Water safety classes

Laois County Council organise twice-yearly water safety classes and pool lifeguard course annually.   Swim week also takes place during the Summer months.  For more information please visit our Water Safety Initiatives page

Water Safety Ireland also deliver classes in water safety.  Please visit their Water Safety Courses page for more information. 

Schools programme

Laois County Council in association with Water Safety Ireland, support and deliver the Primary Aquatic Water Safety Programme (PAWS) in county Laois primary schools.  This is rolled out annually.  The aim of the programme is very simple:

Every Child a Swimmer – Every Swimmer a Lifesaver!

The PAWS syllabus forms a component part of the Physical Education strand of the official Department of Education primary school curriculum. As a further support to this programme Irish Water Safety will deploy a development officer to promote and support the nationwide rollout of this programme.

The PAWS programme will work as follows:

Phase 1: Aquatic Organizer In-service Training, a 3 hour training course to upskill participating schools

Schools wishing to participate in PAWS programme will need to have a trained a trained Aquatic Organizer on staff to deliver key aspects of the programmes.

We strongly recommend that a minimum of two/three staff from your school attend as it is important to ensure continuity should staff be unavailable for various reasons.

Phase 2: Training for swim teachers to deliver programme in the swimming pools.

Phase 3:  Laois PAWS commenced Autumn 2015. At the end of every six/eight week cycle of swimming lessons participants will be examined to determine their level of competence.

Land PAWS is a programme where Laois Water Safety representatives visit school and deliver a programme to children in relation to safety in, on & around water on the land i.e. Farms, Home, Waterways and Pools. 

Safety tips

Safety Tips at the pool

  • Always have an adult watch you when you are in the pool — even in your own backyard.
  • Never go in the pool if there is no adult around.
  • Gates are around pools for a reason — to keep kids away from the water when there isn’t a lifeguard or adult around to watch them. Never go through any pool gates when they are closed. Stay safe and stay out!
  • Always obey pool rules.
  • Swim with a buddy.
  • Walk slowly in the pool area. Don’t run.
  • Swim at a depth that is safe for you. If you’re just learning to swim, stay in the shallow end.
  • Don’t push or jump on others. You could accidentally hurt someone or yourself.
  • Toys to help you float come in many shapes and sizes (an inner tube, air mattress, or beach ball, for example). Although they are fun and can help you while you learn to swim, what they can’t do is save a life. They’re toys that can lose air or float away.
  • Don’t chew gum or eat while you swim — you could choke.

‌Safety Tips at the beach

  • Never swim alone!
  • Always swim where a lifeguard can see you and in areas that are marked for swimmers to use.
  • Wear protective footwear if surfaces are rough or rocky.
  • Don’t swim out too far.
  • Never pretend to be drowning. The lifeguard may take you seriously.
  • Don’t swim close to piers — those big, wooden structures that jut out into the water. If the water moves suddenly, you could hit a piling or a rock.
  • Store drinks in plastic containers at the beach — broken glass bottles and bare feet don’t mix.
  • Face the waves, instead of turning your back on them. Then you’ll know what’s coming.
  • Here’s a useful leaflet to show how to be safe at the beach, please take time to have a look through it.
  • Remember – Every kind of water has it’s own dangers

For further info on Safety please visit the Irish Water Safety website

Further information

For further information, please contact us on 057 866 4000 or email watersafety@laoiscoco.ie or sports@laoiscoco.ie 

Alternatively, you can contact Ann Marie on 087 618 4404

Related Links