Madam, - When Aer Lingus moved its Heathrow service from Shannon to Belfast, objectors were told it was done because costs were lower in the North. We were informed by various politicians and commentators that this was the free market, that we were all on one island, etc, etc.
However when ordinary people head north to shop for the same economic reasons they are branded as "unpatriotic".
The answer to this problem is quite simple: reduce prices south of the Border to Northern levels. Of course we will be told the cost of business here is higher. But why can't the Government and local authorities reduce VAT and rates rather than raising them? If costs go down, prices should follow.
- Yours, etc,