Sir, - It was with great regret and sorrow that I read about the inquest on the death of young Eamon McBride of Co Donegal arising from an accident involving steel goalposts (The Irish Times, October 3rd).
My own son was seriously injured in 1992 in a similar accident. I wrote to the GAA at the time and I also spoke on the Live Line programme on radio in an attempt to alert the relevant authorities (schools, sporting and local) to the dangers of portable steel goalposts.
Eamon McBride is at least the third child to die in such incidents since my son's accident. The hospital authorities at the time of my son's accident informed me that this type of mishap is a regular occurrence. I note the Dublin City Coroner has undertaken to bring the case to the attention of the relevant authorities.
However, I feel that it is time for the Minister for Sport to embark on a programme to ensure that these lethal goalposts are removed from use in the country and a minimum set of standards established. A special allocation from the sporting provision of the lottery funds would be an appropriate mechanism to ensure that all clubs, schools, etc., could comply with the standards.
How many more children will be killed or maimed before this glaringly obvious lethal hazard is eliminated from our playing fields? - Yours, etc., Adrian Doyle,
Mulgannon,
Wexford.