Madam, - The Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism worries that the "myth of rip-off Ireland" is damaging tourism (The Irish Times, November 6th). He is wrong: there is nothing mythical about it.
Many of us today have been fortunate to live abroad or at least travel there frequently and this, coupled with the advent of the single currency, makes the ugly fact of "rip-off Ireland" all the more obvious.
An example will serve. A 50 cl bottle of beer (by which I mean the good German stuff) will cost here - at a bargain - €2.50. In Munich, a city notorious among Germans as that country's most expensive, the same bottle will cost 70 cent. Oh, and I must mention also that you will get 10 cent back on the bottle.
I suggest it is the fact of "rip-off Ireland" rather than its supposed myth that is damaging tourism, judging by what my European friends say when they visit this country. The Minister would better spend his time addressing that problem than worrying himself about myths. If these points are obvious to an academic, should they not also be obvious to men of the world? - Yours, etc.,
THOMAS McCARTHY,
Department of Medieval
History,
Trinity College,
Dublin 2.
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Madam, It was with great hilarity that I recently read Mr John O'Donoghue's declaration that "rip-off Ireland is a myth". This is yet another example of the arrogance of the current Government and how its members have clearly lost all touch with reality. I returned recently from a weekend in Rome where a meal for two people that included a starter, main course, a bottle of wine, four beers and service charge came to about €38. I have no doubt a similar meal in the Minister's constituency would cost significantly more.
At least Fine Gael is trying to do something by highlighting the ridiculous prices we are paying in Ireland - which is more than I can say for the Government's lame policy of "Shop around". - Yours, etc.,
CONOR M. DELANEY,
Sandymount,
Dublin 4.