Water Safety Ireland's warning that there are an average of five drownings every fortnight in Ireland.
As people flock to lakes and beaches during the warm weather - rescue chiefs are reminding people that while it may be hot - water temperatures are still a good deal cooler.
Water Safety Ireland's Roger Sweeney says cold-water shock is to blame for a lot of tragedy as a lot of people are used to swimming indoors in a pool.
The advice is to swim at a life-guarded waterway but if that's not possible use local knowledge to swim in areas that are known locally as safe.
