Sir, – Jenny O’Leary’s concerns about the recurring gorse fires on Howth Head are well founded (Letters, July 21st). There is a wonderful natural ecological machine that can largely eliminate the cause of this problem, the goat. Goats eat everything, including gorse. Gorse fires have become a persistent danger since they left Howth in the 1950s. I understand that there is a plan to reintroduce them but that there are difficulties recruiting a goatherd. – Yours, etc,
Dr MICHAEL
J ANDERSON,
Balgriffin, Dublin 13.