Welcome to the beaches section of the TIDY Northern Ireland Website.

TIDY Northern Ireland runs two very different programmes for beaches and communities around the scenic Northern Ireland coastline; The Blue Flag Programme and the Clean Coast Programme.

The Blue Flag Programme has been running for a number of years all over the world and is an exclusive eco-label for well managed beaches and marinas. The Blue Flag Programme uses a number of criteria which beaches and marinas have to meet to gain the award such as water quality, safety, facilities and information. Last year Northern Ireland recieved 7 Blue Flag awards for beaches and two awards for our marinas, we are currently awaiting the 2008 Blue Flag results.

The Clean Coast Programme consists of two parts, the Green Coast Award and the Clean Coast Programme. This programme differs from the Blue Flag Programme in that there is a community involvement element (The Clean Coast Programme) which brings local people together to care for the coastal environment and carry out activities such as clean ups. The Green Coast Award is aimed more towards rural beaches which are prized for their unspoilt beauty. The Green Coast Award beaches are judged on a number of criteria including water quality, beach management and safety.

The water quality around our coastline is monitored by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. Further details about the quality of the bathing waters around Northern Ireland can be found through the following link: NIEA Bathing Water Quality