People need to be conscious of water safety and prepare before going into or near water this bank holiday weekend.
Water Safety Ireland, the Irish Coast Guard and the RNLI are appealing to people to be safe and summer ready when planning an activity.
The organisations are urging people to ensure that boats and other watercraft are checked and in good working order following the winter period.
Anyone planning activities on the water should always bring a means of effectively communicating a distress and check the weather and tides forecast beforehand.
Swimmers are advised to be aware of colder water temperatures and to wear a bright swimming cap to increase their visibility.
People should never swim alone and always ensure that your activity is being monitored by a colleague.
Water Safety Ireland Deputy CEO Roger Sweeney told Newstalk Breakfast it is more important than people realise.
"We had some 1,300 people die in the last five years on our roads and water combined - but nearly half of that stat are drownings.
"So nearly half of the 1,300 that drowned, 45% so that's quite a public health issue."
'Complacency'
Mr Sweeney said it's all about people's behaviour.
"I know that resonates with a lot of people when it comes to road safety but it applies equally with water safety," he said.
"In a nutshell people get into difficulty, or worse, due to two reasons: they overestimate their ability and they underestimate the risk.
"There's a sense of complacency sometimes and it's only by looking back on these drownings that you start to build a picture."
'Cold water shock'
Mr Sweeney said people can get more relaxed in the water.
"The majority of drownings take place in the person's home county so there can be a sense of familiarity," he said
"This weekend is exactly when, every year, incidents start to happen.
"The majority of drownings are when people fall into the water unexpectedly - and that's cold water shock".
Mr Sweeney added that people also have to be aware of the dangers of currents.
More information can be found here
