SUN RESORT DANGER: AN IRISHWOMAN whose two-year-old son drowned in Spain four years ago has appealed to parents to be vigilant when on holidays with their children in sun resorts.
Lynn Quinlan, originally from Churchtown in Dublin, spoke out this week after a four-year-old Dublin triplet, Jake Howe, was left in a coma after falling into a swimming pool while on holiday in Ibiza.
Jake's parents fear their son could be left permanently brain-damaged. The little boy has been in a coma since being pulled from the water by a lifeguard last week.
Quinlan lost her son Leon to a swimming-pool accident in Marbella.
"We didn't think it would happen to us, and now Leon isn't here today," said Quinlan, who moved to Marbella five years to open a restaurant.
Quinlan founded the Water Angels Association to help raise awareness of water safety and drowning prevention among primary-school pupils in Ireland and the Costa del Sol following her son's death.
In Spain there is no legal requirement to have a fence or a cover around a communal or community swimming pool during peak season. The law states that "when the pool is not in use, at night and in the off- season, it should be protected by a lockable fence".
The law does not apply to privately owned pools.
French law requires infant security systems to be installed on all new pool installations, as well as existing private, campsite and hotel pools. Under the law, swimming-pool owners are required to put a fence, an alarm, a security cover or a pool house in place.
According to Quinlan, many people don't realise the speed at which a drowning can occur, or appreciate the fact that the lungs will start to fill in less than 60 seconds.
She said lack of parental vigilance is responsible for many drownings among young children, adding: "Lifeguards aren't babysitters. Many of them are just school kids with a summer job.
"Parents wouldn't allow their child to walk across the M50 motorway, yet they allow them to wander around pools unattended."
John Leech, chief executive of Irish Water Safety, has also advised parents to stay vigilant at all times, especially with younger children.
"As well as providing supervision, parents should ascertain if the pool is lifeguarded, what the depth is and if there is any safety signage prior to allowing children to swim," he said.
Simon Nugent, CEO of the Irish Travel Agents' Association (ITAA), said his members recommend customers to be aware of the hours the pool in the resort they are in are supervised, and if there are any slippery surfaces.
Colette Forde, Director of Keycamp Ireland, said all of Keycamp's sites are strictly regulated, with annual safety audits of the pool carried out each year without fail.
"During this procedure, elements such as fencing, how clear the water is, depth markings and safety notices are all checked."