Michael O'Leary, Ryanair CEO, renamed the event "The Grabbing" while speaking at an aviation conference today in Dublin.
See Irish Independent report below:
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RYANAIR boss Michael O’Leary lashed out this morning at everybody from unions and business group to the government and the Dublin Airport Authority and labelled next year’s ‘Gathering’ as ‘The Grabbing’.
“May I welcome you to The Grabbing,” the outspoken chief executive told nearly 200 delegates from Ireland an abroad in blistering attacks at an aviation conference in Dublin. “Because this time, you’re screwed.”
He said the Dublin Airport Authority was raising charges at a time that will coincide with next year’s ‘Gathering’ event that the government is hoping will lure an additional 325,000 tourists to the country in 2013. The DAA has previously described the increases as “modest”, saying it hadn’t raised its core charges in two years.
“We like, actually, the Gathering. I thought it wasn’t a bad idea. There’s no reason not to welcome everyone back to Ireland,” said Mr O’Leary.
But he said that increasing charges at the airport and hiking bus and rail fares flew in the face of the efforts to promote the Gathering.
He also criticised government aviation policy – just as the government formally announced its plans for separating Shannon Airport from the DAA structure and making it an independent business.
Mr O’Leary told international delegates that it was his first visiting the National Conference Centre in Dublin.
“It’s my first time in the National Conference Centre – the second big white elephant building in this country after the DAA’s T2,” he said. “For those of you who are visiting this country and want to realise why we are broke, you’re sitting in it.”
- John Mulligan
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O'Leary is always good for a quote or two, and delights in stirring it up. Always in his and Ryanair's interests, of course, but he can be quite amusing with it.
The country is going down the tubes thanks to the stupidity of those who sit in government, and who maintained a deafening silence while in "opposition" as Fianna Fail ruined the economy with capital gains tax reductions and property tax incentives during the country's crazy property bubble.
A bubble that has saddled the taxpayer with massive debts, which Brian Lenihan made sovereign with his bank guarantee.
Now we have "The Gathering" – even as thousands are forced to emigrate because of the foolishness of their leaders, and large sections of the Irish population at large.
A bubble that has saddled the taxpayer with massive debts, which Brian Lenihan made sovereign with his bank guarantee.
Now we have "The Gathering" – even as thousands are forced to emigrate because of the foolishness of their leaders, and large sections of the Irish population at large.
The Gathering is nothing more than a shameless attempt to attract gullible tourists with shallow notions of "Irishness" and deep pockets full of wonga.
An embarrassing pukefest of Paddywhackery and gobshitery, to which Ireland's greedy publicans, hoteliers, restaurateurs and assorted gombeens will hope to add the soundtrack of ringing greasy tills.
An embarrassing pukefest of Paddywhackery and gobshitery, to which Ireland's greedy publicans, hoteliers, restaurateurs and assorted gombeens will hope to add the soundtrack of ringing greasy tills.
"The Grabbing", is right.
If they can find enough gobshites to fall for it.
9 comments:
Michael O leary is a Genius. And an Irish one at that. Which makes him even more intelligent.
He is sooooo right about this latest shakedown. Do the Irish Government have a special arrangement with Emigration Authorities, in say, the U.S.? Eh, I mean, all the Lads and Lassies (the NEW MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE) that skipped to distant shores in the last while, returing home all full of the Irish Spirit(s), will only have a one way ticket back to the land of SHAMrocks right? As they won't be going back to the U.S. OBVIOUSLY. Right? Or haven't they thought of that already? As the Oirish are soooh Genius and God Like...
It could pose something of a problem for many Irish "illegals" in the US, alright, DC3.
If they come back here they might never be able to get out of the kip again!
Byrne was also right on the money the other night about "Arthur's Day". One of the greatest marketing tricks ever purveyed upon the Gombeen Nation by any company. Create a day celebrating some spurious anniversary about the production of Guinness, give no gargle away free, give it a first name to ensure familiarity and "friendliness", and watch the cash flow in. Gombeens ask me every year if I am going out for "Arthur's Day", as if it is "Paddy's Day". Gombeens abú!
The great Irish public have never lacked the talent to fall for created traditions, Jim, and accept them for scientific fact. Sure the whole nation is founded on such things.
It's been amusing to watch the most recent of the genre, "Arthur's Day", take off.
You'd swear it has been around since Setanta and his bronze hurley. 'Tis a pint!!!!!!!!!!!
Indeed, GM! And there are eejits who say "To Arthur!" as they lash another pint in on that myth-laden day. Myth-laden for the last couple of years, that is. I was getting a bus to Tallaght on the evening of the last AD and it was held up because Gombeens were standing out on Dame Street with their pints, I kid you not. Glory o, glory o, to the bold Gombeen Men!
What about Devins?
Yes, Jim. It's mental... the bold gombeen men is right, the half-wits.
Devins? What can I say? And the trouble Clare Daly had in announcing it. It's "defamation" to say a judge has been dodging penalty points with the connivance of the coppers, you see.
Mad country. Years ago, I had the misfortune to overtake an unmarked cop car in Devin's Mayo backyard. The copper said I would have to appear in court in Swinford. "Swinford?" I said. I'd never even heard of it.
This is over 12 years ago now, but suffice to say, I took a keen interest in the Mayo News and the courts.
To my horror, Devins threw the book at motorists for the tiniest of transgressions (while herself parking on double yellow lines outside the courthouse).
I lived several months in mortal fear, but didn't hear anything. Maybe the copper thought my contrite shock was enough for me - and it was.
So to think this woman has been putting people off the road, upping their insurance premiums, and making their lives a misery while at the same time having penalty points removed from her own licence a disgrace.
See this one below: http://gombeennation.blogspot.ie/2009/02/arrogant-judge-bans-arrogant-farmer.html
Ah yes, the auld nod and wink culture. Gimme me free lunch, I'm a guard. Let me into this nightclub for free, I'm a guard. That's if the bouncer ISN'T a guard, a lot of them moonlight. So if it goes on there, it automatically follows that the higher echelons also use and abuse the system. They all love their bit of "power", as you experienced.
But nothing will be done about Devins abusing the system. And she will still be handing down "justice" from her well-heeled position, no doubt. Who is the other Judge relieved of penalty points? And there is also a rugger lad and someone off the telly. Ah shure, 'tis a grand little country altogether..
I was at a recent austerity march-
many witty posters ( referring to the many 100,000's forced to emigrate recently( the most since the 50's) proclaimed that VERY succesful Irish govt initiative, 'The Scattering'....
what they do best
"The Scattering". Love it!!!
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