Dog owners in north Dublin have criticised a decision not to allow their pets on certain beaches.
Fingal County Council has confirmed that dogs and horses will not be allowed on Portmarnock, Donabate and Rush South beaches between 11am and 7pm during the bathing season, which runs from June 1st to September 15th.
The exception will be for guide dogs and assistance dogs.
The local authority said the rule has always applied to its blue flag beaches in order to meet strict international standards for water quality.
However, the ban at the three popular swimming spots has been described as a farce by some locals.
Sonia McHugh from the Fingal Dog Owners Group said dogs used to be permitted on the beaches while on a lead.
She told Newstalk radio: "We think everybody should be picking up after themselves, but basically it comes down to lack of enforcement, and instead of the council dealing with the issue at hand and fining people appropriately, they are just putting down a blanket ban on all dog owners."
The council recently worked with University College Dublin and other local authorities to show the direct link between dog fouling and poor beach water quality in an animation titled Leave Only Paw Prints.
The short film shows that dog waste can be toxic and harmful to humans, especially children, and a single piece can contaminate water in an area the size of a tennis court.
