Good news is particularly welcome on the environment front, where Ireland's record in terms of waste management and clean water has been a frequent source of concern to the European Commission.
Yesterday, the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Dick Roche, was in the happy position of being able to present a record number of blue flags to mark the quality of bathing water and the general cleanliness of beaches and marinas throughout the State.
As the weather warms up and the water temperature rises, hardy souls are again contemplating summer dips. For them, the blue flag awards will provide plenty of encouragement. A record number of awards were made when 78 beaches and four marinas were recognised for the quality of their water and general management. Of particular importance on this occasion was the improved water quality in the Dublin and Galway areas, where major public investment in sewage treatment works appears to be paying dividends. Five beaches in the Dublin area now qualify for the highest European award, with Dollymount Strand joining Killiney, Seapoint, Malahide and Donabate in this prestigious category. Silver Strand also qualified in Galway City.
It wasn't all good news. Towards the end of last season, the seawater standard at Wexford's four qualifying beaches deteriorated significantly and it lost all four flags. That development emphasises the need for local authorities to be particularly vigilant in monitoring outflows from their own sewage works, along with the maintenance of septic tanks in once-off housing. Even when sewage outflows are properly controlled, particularly heavy rain can generate run-offs from housing and agricultural land that cause serious pollution. The shellfish industry has been critical of the Government in the past for failing to introduce strict measures to protect water quality from run-offs.
Ireland is in the happy position of being able to offer tourists the highest quality bathing water in Europe. It is a hugely important resource and it must be protected. But blue flags are not awarded for seawater quality alone. The elimination of litter is an important consideration, as is fouling of beaches and sand dunes by human and animal faeces. We all have a part to play in ensuring that visitors and locals enjoy these facilities by ensuring that dogs are kept on leads, or away from the beach, and that littering, noise disturbance and dune erosion is minimised. Local authorities must, in turn, ensure regular cleaning. There is nothing worse on a hot day than a litter bin full of discarded nappies.