Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport - another huge joke?

Terminal 2 Dublin Airport, yet another huge joke at the Irish taxpayers expense? Or maybe not? the Dublin Airport Authority are insisting that the entire cost of the project, some €600 million plus, will be recouped in airport charges and passengers taxes? Dream on....

Did you know? we are one of the few countries in the world, dependent on tourism that actually imposes a €10 passenger tax on people coming into the country. Crazy isn't it? when we are fast running out of options for generating revenue and saving our economy, tourism having been one of the most enduring, is now possibly the last and what do we do?

Ireland's reputation as a tourist destination has never been an issue, it can stand proudly on its own two humble feet. We didn't need a horrendously expensive, shiny, expanse of glass & steel to make that point. We already have two perfectly good International airports at Knock and Shannon, which are practically idle? what were they thinking of?

And to add insult to injury we are now having our noses rubbed in it by being subjected to the most cringe worthy TV advert I have ever seen, you can watch it at the link below. It features a (cute enough, God Bless him) Bond type business suit strolling through the EMPTY (hello, the 400 jobs its was supposed to generate in retail sales, not going to work, if there's actually nobody using it) terminal extolling the virtues of dear old Ireland.

The great poets, playwrights, explorers and authors, true? But "sending racehorses and charity around the globe" in the same sentence? what has either got to do with the other? And since when did any proud Irishman look for credit for being charitable? He even goes on about the fact that our skin burns in 2.4 seconds what is that about? and who the hell cares.....?

We already have the world's attention, right now, for all the wrong reasons. Our economy is a joke, we could even bring Europe down with us and leadership non existent. Everyman, woman and child in this country is now responsible for some 90 billion euros of debt, which they didn't incur (so none of us are likely to jetting off around the world any day soon) Our consolation prize? this great White Elephant we are supposed to be so proud of it's a joke.

The sooner we cop ourselves on and get down to business, the better. Give it over to Michael O'Leary, scrap that tourism tax and get people actually coming into the country and then maybe just maybe we'll have something we can be genuinely proud of....

To watch that video click here www.irelands-hidden-gems.com/irish-jokes.html

Susan Byron author of http://www.irelands-hidden-gems.com/

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