Beach Lifeguard

Background

Parks & Landscape Services plans, designs and manages the city landscape to provide an attractive, green and sustainable city. The Division also aims to meet the social, recreational and conservational needs of the city and its citizens. It is responsible for managing 1,400 hectares of parks and open spaces. The Parks Service also contributes to public realm and urban design, as well as the civic decoration of the city, to make it a more attractive space in which to live, work and visit.

THE JOB

Dollymount Strand and the Beach Lifeguard service comes under the control of the Parks & Landscape Services Division of the Culture, Community, Leisure and Area Services Department. Dollymount Strand is one of the most popular beaches in Ireland.

The role of the Beach Lifeguard, Dollymount Beach (Temporary), Summer Season 2026, is to provide a valuable service in ensuring the safety and enjoyment of the beach by all visitors during the summer months.

Please note that successful candidates will be subject to Garda Vetting prior to any appointment being confirmed.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE SHALL

• Possess strong interpersonal and communication skills and have the ability to engage with a wide range of people including staff at all levels, members of the public, etc.

• Be committed to and conscious of providing an excellent service by ensuring the safety and enjoyment of Dollymount Beach by visitors.

• Be capable of working both in teams or on their own initiative, in an independent environment and without constant supervision.

QUALIFICATIONS

CHARACTER:

Each candidate shall be of good character.

HEALTH:

Candidates shall be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

AGE:

Candidates must be not less than 18 years of age on appointment.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, ETC.:

Each candidate should, on the latest date for receipt of completed applications:

(a) Hold a valid Beach Lifeguard Award of Irish Water Safety or equivalent.

Candidates renewing their Beach Lifeguard Certificates may also apply (Candidates in the process of obtaining their Beach Lifeguard certificate can apply, however you will not be able to sign your contract until you submit a copy of your certificate).

(b) Must successfully undergo a Lifeguard Skills, Lifesaving and Resuscitation test (see note below).

(c) Be prepared to undergo training in the use of equipment that may be used in the course of carrying out the duties of a Lifeguard.

(d) Have read and understood the Irish Sports Council publication “Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children’s Sport” (this publication can be found on www.irishsportscouncil.ie

).

(e) Have good knowledge and awareness of Health and Safety Legislation and Regulations, the implications for the organisation and the employee, and their application in the workplace.

The Lifeguard Skills, Lifesaving and Resuscitation Test will be held in open water on Portmarnock Beach at the Lifeguard Station/Hut on Saturday, 2nd May 2026.

DUTIES

The duties of the post include, but are not limited to, the following:

The duties of the Beach Lifeguard (Temporary) - Dollymount Beach, Summer Season 2026, under the direction and supervision of the appropriate employee of Dublin City Council, shall include, but are not limited to the following:

• Patrolling designated sections of the beach, providing constant observation and supervision of activities at public bathing places in order to prevent drowning accidents.

• Going immediately to the assistance of persons in difficulties in the water and rendering to such persons the necessary attention.

• Checking all equipment daily, ensuring all life-saving apparatus is in good condition and that there are adequate stocks of First Aid equipment available, and reporting any defects/shortages to Dublin City Council.

• Ensuring that the indication flags are placed in prominent positions in order to warn persons bathing of possible sources of danger.

• Recording of all accidents/incidents in the log book.

• Removing and disposing of broken glass, litter, dangerous items, etc. from the foreshore.

• To carry out all appropriate lifeguard duties as laid down by Water Safety Ireland.

The particular duties and responsibilities attached to the post may vary from time to time, without changing the general character of the duties or level of responsibilities entailed. The post holder may therefore be required to perform duties appropriate to the post, other than those detailed above, and to take instructions from and report to an appropriate Officer or such designated Officer as may be assigned from time to time by the City Council.

The duties of the post are to give to the local authority and to:

(a) The local authorities or bodies for which the Chief Executive is Chief Executive, and

(b) To any other local authority or body with which an agreement has been made by the local authority or by any of the authorities or bodies referred to in sub-paragraph (a) of this paragraph, under the general direction and control of the Chief Executive or of such officers as the Chief Executive may from time to time determine, such appropriate computing, technical, management, administrative, executive, supervisory, advisory and ancillary services as may be required by any local authority or body hereinbefore mentioned in the exercise and performance of any of its powers, functions and duties, and to exercise such powers, functions and duties as may be delegated to them by the Chief Executive from time to time, including the duty of servicing all committees that may be established by any such local authority or body.

The holder of the post will, if required, act for an officer of a higher level.

SELECTION PROCESS

• Posts of Beach Lifeguard – Dollymount Beach (Temporary), Summer Season 2026 will be filled from this publicly advertised competition. Selection shall be by means of a competition conducted by or on behalf of Dublin City Council.

• Candidates should note that the information provided by them in their application form will form the basis on which eligibility and shortlisting is conducted.

• Dublin City Council reserves the right to undertake eligibility and/or shortlist candidates in the manner it deems most appropriate.

• A panel may be formed on the basis of interviews. A candidate whose name is on a panel and who satisfies the Council that they possess the qualifications declared for the post and that they are otherwise suitable for appointment may, within the life of the panel, subject to the appropriate Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage sanction, be appointed as an appropriate vacancy arises.

• Dublin City Council shall require any person to whom an appointment is offered to take up such appointment within a period of not more than one month and, if they fail to take up appointment within such period, or such longer period as the Council in its absolute discretion may determine, the Council shall not appoint them.

SHORTLISTING

Dublin City Council reserves the right to shortlist candidates to proceed to the interview stage of the competition. Shortlisting of candidates will be on the basis of information supplied on the Application Form.

It is therefore in your own interest to provide a detailed and accurate account of your qualifications/experience in your application.

The shortlisting process will provide for the assessment of each applicant’s application form against predetermined criteria that reflect the skills and depth of experience considered to be essential for a position at this level.

INTERVIEW

The interview will be competency based and marks will be awarded under the following competencies:

• Leadership & Initiative

• Interpersonal Understanding/Communication

• Planning/Organising

• Technical Knowledge & Experience

Please see page 8 of the Candidate Information Booklet for more details.

SALARY

The salary scale for the position of Beach Lifeguard (Temporary) – Dollymount Beach - Summer Season 2026 is:

€1,607.76 per fortnight (€20.61 per hour).

Entry point to this scale will be determined in accordance with Circulars issued by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. In accordance with Departmental Circular letter EL 02/2011, a person who is not a serving public service employee on or after 1st January 2011 will enter the scale for the position at the minimum point.

Rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government Policy.

Under the Public Service Stability Agreement 2013, the working hours for newly appointed/promoted staff are 39 hours per week.

HOURS OF DUTY

The hours of work are 39 hours per week. The hours of duty are between 11.00 am and 8.00 pm and cover the whole week, including Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays, on a rota basis during the season.

Annual leave must be applied for in advance and will only be granted if operational requirements allow.

UNIFORM

As a condition of employment, the holder of the post will be required, at all times when on duty, to wear such uniform and/or items of protective clothing as are specified from time to time by Dublin City Council.

All applicants must refer to the Additional Candidate Information Booklet which can be found at https://careers.dublincity.ie

for additional relevant information pertaining to the salary scale and the recruitment process.

PARTICULARS OF POSITION

(a) The position is temporary and the holder of the post will be employed, subject to satisfactory service, on a fixed-term contract basis for the 2026 summer season.

(b) The nature of this employment is fixed term as the position of Beach Lifeguard is seasonal. A contract will therefore be issued on such objective grounds.

(c) The holder of the post will be assigned to Dollymount Beach (Dublin 3), Culture, Community, Leisure and Area Services Department.

(d) The holder of the post shall reside in the district in which their duties are to be performed or within a reasonable distance thereof.

CITIZENSHIP

Candidates must, by the date of application, be:

a) A citizen of the European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA consists of the Member States of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, or

b) A citizen of the United Kingdom (UK), or

c) A citizen of Switzerland pursuant to the agreement between the EU and Switzerland on the free movement of persons, or

d) A non-EEA citizen who is a spouse or child of an EEA or UK or Swiss citizen and has a stamp 4 visa, or

e) A person awarded international protection under the International Protection Act 2015 or any family member entitled to remain in the State as a result of family reunification and has a stamp 4 visa, or

f) A non-EEA citizen who is a parent of a dependent child who is a citizen of, and resident in, an EEA member state or the UK or Switzerland and has a stamp 4 visa.

Dublin City Council welcomes all nationalities and ethnic backgrounds to join its diverse workforce and hereby reserves the sole discretion to vary the above requirements from time to time, subject to business needs and staffing requirements.