Dublin City Council is launching new high-tech ring buoys, which it's hoped will save lives.
Around 15 of the lifesaving rings go missing or are stolen every week from waterways in the city, including along the River Liffey.
The Smart Ring Buoy technology works through low-cost sensors paired with a mobile, map-based platform with real-time monitoring. It will alert Water Safety officers when ring buoys are tampered with or go missing and ensure their timely replacement.
More than 600 sensors will now be installed in eight local authorities across Ireland including the four Dublin local authorities, along with Meath County Council, Sligo County Council and Limerick City & County.
Jamie Cudden, Smart City Programme Manager with Dublin City Council, says they'll save lives;
"It's a really smart way of just tracking the availability of ring buoys and it's really important that that ring buoy is there when it's needed, so it's a really groundbreaking project for us."
