That trustworthy barometer of a nation's Net-worthiness - the availability of a decent Internet connection or, alas, any Internet connection at all - continues to underline how far the Republic has to go in understanding business travellers' needs. The Margin has sagged with disappointment before, on encountering the state of such services in the Republic's hotels.

Now, the ultimate irony has been revealed: the Citywest Hotel - yes, the one right next to the Republic's largest technology park, which boasts full conference facilities and pushes itself as a business hotel - does not even have that basic hotel mainstay, a business centre.

Woe betide the international business traveller - say, one from Silicon Valley considering a major investment in the Republic after being told of how wired the Irish are - who might need a Net connection or access to a computer.