Beachguards

QUALIFICATION

The minimum requirement for appointment as Beachguard is:

(i) The Irish Water Safety “National Beach Lifeguard Award” or equivalent as recognised by the International Lifesaving Federation.

Any offer of employment as Beachguard will be subject to submission of valid certificate(s) covering the full term of proposed employment. Lifeguards will be tested and assessed prior to appointment regardless of any certificates they may hold. The test will cover all aspects of Beachguard’s duties.

AGE

In order to be appointed as Beachguards, successful applicants must be aged 18 years or older, in advance of appointment.

HEALTH

For the purposes of satisfying the requirement as to health, it may be necessary for each successful candidate, before he/she is appointed, to undergo at his/her expense a medical examination by a qualified medical practitioner to be nominated by the local authority. On taking up appointment, the expense of the medical examination will be refunded to the candidate.

GARDA VETTING

All appointments will be subject to Garda Vetting. Any applicant for whom we do not have valid Garda vetting on file will be required to submit a Garda Vetting (NVB1) form with valid photo ID. If we do not have valid Garda Vetting on file for you, you will be contacted after your application is received.

CITIZENSHIP

Candidates must, by the date of any job offer, 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.

SWIM TEST / INTERVIEWS

Applicants must be available to attend for swim test/interview at Ferrybank Swimming Pool, Ferrybank, Wexford on Sunday, 12th April 2026. Applicants who are unavailable on that day will not be considered for the post of Beachguard.

AVAILABILITY

Applicants must be available for weekends and Bank Holidays in June 2026 as well as the first two weekends in September 2026. Applicants must also be available for July and August 2026 covering a five-day roster each week.

Time off outside of normal rostered time off will not be granted to Beachguards unless the request is for exceptional, extraordinary reasons, and is submitted in writing for approval (by post or email) at least 2 weeks in advance or is for force majeure leave (as defined in Parental Leave Act 1998). Employment is for the 2026 Bathing Season, and applicants should be available for the entire season. The only exception is where applicants are undertaking school/college examinations.

LEAVE

Applicants must complete hours as rostered on the assigned beach. Any leave must be approved in advance by the Water Safety Officer. Leave will only be granted if appropriate cover is available. No leave will be granted from Friday, 28th August to Sunday, 30th August inclusive. Applicants with prebooked events or holidays during these periods of time may only be considered for relief work.

DUTIES

Beachguards will be responsible to Wexford County Council for the performance of their duties and will work under the immediate supervision of the Water Safety Officer or his nominee. They shall be on duty daily as assigned by the Water Safety Officer or his nominee and in accordance with the schedule of hours attached hereto.

Except when the beach is absolutely empty, the Beachguard should be on patrol or on lookout outside the station. The Beachguard should never be inside the station except when relieved for meals etc., or when they are certain there is nobody on the beach. They should not allow their concentration to be diverted in conversations with the public or in reading. The primary duty of a Beachguard is to prevent accident situations from developing. The can-buoy and rescue board should be strategically placed so that it may be used at a moment's notice. Special vigilance is required where there are rocks or an outflow of a river, as there are likely to be undertows or currents.

Bathing costumes must be worn during hours of duty. Track suits or T-shirt and Shorts may be worn when not engaged in rescue work.

Life-saving equipment including Wexford County Council safety equipment must be examined each morning to ensure that it is in proper working order and any defects should be reported to the Water Safety Officer or his nominee.

Beachguards will be responsible for the erection and removal daily of bathing notices or any other mobile equipment which the Council may place on the beaches for the protection of the public.

Beachguards shall continually patrol the beach and pay particular attention to danger places where the large crowds congregate.

While two Beachguards are on duty on a particular beach:

a) One Beachguard shall remain at a vantage point from which a full view of the beach can be had and remain on a constant lookout.

b) The other Beachguard shall maintain a patrol of the beach and in such a manner that any given point along the beach is visited at least once in every 15 minutes.

The patrol shall be maintained along the beach and when the tide is in, the patrol shall be maintained as close as to the beach as possible.

Beachguards shall not permit any unauthorised interferences with the life-saving equipment.

Beachguards shall always be courteous to bathers and should give them any required information regarding state of tides, currents, parts of strand that are dangerous for bathing etc.

If in the Beachguard's opinion, bathers are about to enter the water at a point that is considered dangerous owing to currents, shifting sands, weeds, undertow, etc., they should immediately warn them and give the reasons.

If the bathers are acting in an indecent manner, the Beachguard should bring this fact to the notice of the Garda Síochána at the earliest opportunity.

Beachguards shall proceed instantly to all rescues and render all possible assistance, where necessary, and they shall attend to all cases requiring first aid.

Beachguards shall report immediately to the Water Safety Officer and the Executive Engineer (Coastal) any drownings or serious incidents occurring whilst on duty. If they cannot be contacted, a report shall be sent by telephone to the County Hall (053) 9196313 during office hours and (053) 919 6000 outside office hours.

At the end of each day a log book of day's work should be written up by each Beachguard. This log book will be inspected from time to time and should contain time of tides, condition of wind, and description of any incidents throughout the day.

The Beachguards shall keep fit by constant practice and swim at least 400 linear meters each morning.

They will carry out any duties pertaining to the position as required by the Council.

It may be necessary to testify in court regarding matters of enforcement and litigation.

Beachguards shall carry out all appropriate duties as laid down in the Irish Water Safety Lifeguard Handbook.

Beachguards shall read, be familiar with and adhere to the Ancillary Safety Statement for Beachguards; participate in induction training and cooperate with other safety training provided by the Council as required. Any issues of health and safety concern shall be referred to the Water Safety Officer, the Executive Engineer (Coastal) or the Wexford County Council Health and Safety Officer. The procedure for reporting issues of concern is set out in Section 8 of the Ancillary Safety Statement.

PERFORMANCE REVIEW

Performance review will be carried out during the period of employment. The performance review will be taken into consideration for any returning applications for the following year.

REMUNERATION

Beachguard: €17.79 per hour

Beachguard in charge: €19.84 per hour