Attendance at the Irish Management Institute (IMI) annual conference grew 30 per cent to 300 this year after the event moved from Killarney, Co Kerry, for only the fifth time in its 49-year history.

Delegates at the Marriott Druids Glen Hotel in Co Wicklow included a fair number of chief executives and several top officials from the public sector.

While the annual trip to Killarney often meant attendees had to take three days outside Dublin - one of them on the weekend, to boot - a shorter programme this year meant the main activity took place over one-and-a-half days.

"I don't think people have the time to take two days off anymore," said Kieran Murphy, head of marketing and communications with insurer Eagle Star.

Echoing the views of many, he was particularly impressed with the opening session on Thursday when journalist Olivia O'Leary chaired the round-table session at which Minister for Transport Martin Cullen finally showed his hand on Aer Lingus and the development of Dublin Airport.

Mr Cullen's stance on the latter is still at variance with Tánaiste Mary Harney, so the emergence of differences between Fianna Fáil and the PDs added a flash of political heat to the proceedings.

"It's good to get a little bit of controversy to liven it up," said Jack Golden, human resources director at CRH.

With the media all over the story, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern wasn't in the mood for talking when he arrived by helicopter for his speech yesterday morning. The Cabinet will decide, he said, revealing nothing.

Ironically, Mr Cullen had started out by delivering a specifics-free speech on transport. It was only under probing from Ms O'Leary that he opened up - and took the opportunity to have a go at Eircom over its shortcomings on broadband.

For Trinity College Dublin Provost Dr John Hegarty, the event was an opportunity to "bring people together who don't normally get together". His highlight was an "inspiring" presentation on innovation by management guru Charles Leadbeater.