Sir, - With reference to Sally Sweeney’s letter (July 28th) questioning why golf clubs are exempt from the current hosepipe restrictions, it should be acknowledged that many golf courses with irrigation systems are not supplied by the public treated water network. Instead, they have invested in extensive underground pipe networks connected to storage tanks fed by their own boreholes or other on-site water sources.
However, this is not universal and research by the Royal & Ancient indicates that about 28 per cent of golf courses in the UK use treated mains water for their irrigation requirements. The majority rely on alternative water sources, reducing pressure on public supplies during periods of drought.
These irrigation systems are expensive to install and maintain and are generally more affordable for larger clubs with substantial membership and green-fee income. Smaller, predominantly rural clubs may lack such infrastructure and could therefore be disproportionately affected by prolonged hosepipe bans.
In extreme cases, the loss of playing surfaces could take years to recover, threatening valued community facilities that have often been established and sustained over generations.
RM Block
Rather than viewing this solely as an issue of exemption, it may be time for Golf Ireland to examine a comprehensive national strategy to encourage sustainable irrigation, water storage and alternative water sources, recognising that climate change is making periods of drought an increasingly regular feature of Irish summers. – Yours, etc,
DAVID CASSIDY,
Griffith Avenue,
Dublin 9.
Fruit and veg imports don’t add up
Sir, I completely agree with Sally Sweeney (Letters, July 28th). Small vegetable and fruit growers are growing for themselves and so are reducing imports. Let’s take two countries by way of example. We import potatoes from the UK and we import tomatoes, lettuce and strawberries from the Netherlands. Why?
If we put our minds to it, we could be self-sufficient in the production of these fruits and vegetables. And yet, we are prepared to pay the extra expense of having these products imported. Potatoes from the UK come in the form of frozen chips, frozen roast potatoes and potato crisps, while Maris Piper potatoes are used for chip-making in the fast-food business.
The Dutch government invested heavily in glasshouses to enable their fruit and veg to be grown all year round. Why don’t we do the same? We are acting as pushovers to the UK and the Netherlands and we only have ourselves to blame.
Small growers generally have water butts. This collected water is used at the start of a heatwave and so the hose is only used towards the end of a drought. Small fruit-and-veg growers will prioritise watering these over shrubs and flowers that can’t be eaten.
Bring back noted GIY enthusiast and former minister of state for food, Trevor Sargent. – Yours, etc,
JOHN MCKEOWN,
Waterford.
