Weather permitting, the summer bathing season will begin this Bank Holiday weekend. It is a time of anticipation and of hope for a succession of long, lazy summer days. Yesterday's fine weather is expected to continue today but may not last much longer. Such matters are beyond our control.
But the quality of swimming water around our coasts is a different matter. It is our responsibility to protect it and, more importantly, it is an issue we can directly influence.
This week's report by the Environmental Protection Agency concerning water quality at our major swimming beaches makes for gloomy reading. The quality of water at these specially chosen locations continues to deteriorate. And, even though our inshore waters remain among the cleanest in Europe, warning bells are sounding. Using the strictest water standards applied by the European Union, almost 15 per cent of the 131 would-be Blue Flag beaches failed to qualify - an increase from 12 per cent in 2001. And three beaches failed to reach the minimum standards laid down by Irish law under EU legislation. They were Ardmore, in Co Waterford, and Brittas Bay, south and north, in Co Wicklow. Bathers were advised not to swim there because of the risk of contracting gastro-enteritis.
The cause of the deterioration in water quality at these three beautiful beaches arises directly from excessive holiday home development and a failure by the local authorities to provide adequate sewage treatment facilities. Local communities and the families who purchased expensive holiday homes at Ardmore and Brittas Bay will be particularly upset by the damage caused to a major amenity and asset. The unfortunate outcome of such bad planning and failures by the local authorities should act as a cautionary tale for coastal developments in other regions. The way things are going, the list of unsafe swimming beaches is likely to grow.
Clean water, both fresh and salt, is a priceless asset. It must be jealously guarded against those commercial interests that put short-term profit before long-term considerations. It must also be treated with caution. This weekend, the Water Safety Association has urged people not to swim alone, after eating food or drinking alcohol, or in unfamiliar places. Last year, 62 people lost their lives in swimming and boating accidents. And, in the past 10 years, 86 children died in drowning accidents. Parents must never allow their children to swim unsupervised. And adults must treat this wonderful medium with the respect it deserves.