Sir, – In the context of waste management, plastic bottles and environmental sustainability, the GAA at Croke Park is falling well below the standard!
At the All-Ireland football final of 2017, I sought a drink of water from one of the bars on the upper deck of the Hogan Stand.
The water fountain at the back of the stand was not working, so I assumed I would have no problem getting a drink. I was refused on the grounds of safety and security.
Twice since, I have been in contact with Croke Park and have been assured that patrons could have access to drinking water upon request. At the matches against Kildare on January 27th and Donegal on February 10th, I had great difficulty accessing water.
Drinking-water fountains still didn’t work and I was told by bar staff that the water was “sitting in pipes for months and wasn’t safe”. I was “encouraged” to buy bottled water.
In a society where we are trying to minimise water, reduce the use of plastic bottles and build an environmentally sustainable community Croke Park is not going far enough. It claims to be green and environmentally sustainable. However, in this context it is not! Perhaps it is too beholden to commercialism to care? – Yours, etc,
NIALL ROCHE,
Lucan,
Co Dublin.