Ryanair: Irish Tourism R.I.P

T2 TAJ MAHAL IS 12 MONTHS LATE AND 5 TIMES OVER BUDGET

Ryanair, Ireland's largest airline, today (19th Nov) marked the opening of the DAA's €1.2bn T2 as the Death of Irish Tourism by delivering a coffin and wreath inscribed 'Irish Tourism R.I.P'.

At the opening of the DAA's €1.2bn T2, which has been delivered 12 months late and five times over its original budget of "between €170m and €200m", Ryanair once again called for this unnecessary white elephant to be mothballed. Highlighting the DAA's overspend and delay on T2 Ryanair again quoted from the DAA's Sept 2005 press release which promised:

"The new terminal will become operational in late 2009…

will cost between €170 and €200m to build."

Ryanair's Michael O'Leary said

"The opening of the DAA's €1.2bn T2 white elephant officially marks the death of Irish Tourism. It is fitting that this unnecessary Taj Mahal will now become the welcome lounge for IMF officials at Dublin Airport. The DAA's €1.2bn T2 Taj Mahal perfectly represents 'modern Ireland' because it's an over-specified unnecessary €1.2bn bankrupt property development that the Irish airlines don't want and Irish tourism can't afford to pay for.

The failed DAA airport monopoly must now be broken up since it is unfit for purpose and has destroyed Irish tourism with this €1.2bn T2 Taj Mahal."