Sir, – It was extraordinarily generous of Web Summit co-founder Paddy Cosgrave not to ask the State for any money in order to "keep the event in Dublin" ("Criticism over Government handling of Web Summit grows", October 15th). However, his demands regarding traffic-calming measures, dedicated shuttle buses, hotel pricing controls, suspension of parking permission in Herbert Park, Anglesea Road closure, free use of venues and Garda escorts for VIPs were outrageous.
If every conference or summit that came to town made such demands the city would be in shutdown mode constantly. Who does Mr Cosgrave think he is? Garth Brooks? – Yours, etc,
GEOFF SCARGILL,
Bray,
Co Wicklow.
Sir, – The Web Summit had reached the peak of what it could do in Dublin. The Taoiseach’s department did engage with Paddy Cosgrave. The fact that Mr Cosgrave was emailing the secretary general of the department and the taoiseach’s private secretary is a prime example of high-level engagement.
It is not for Ministers to come before the Web Summit to iron out the nitty-gritty of transport details. Senior civil servants are there for that very reason. A high-level taskforce across the various State and city agencies is exactly what was needed and was offered – but no, Mr Cosgrave only wanted ministerial involvement.
Major events happen every year, from the Electric Picnic, to the ploughing championships to Croke Park concerts.
Promoters liaise with local authorities and the Garda, and do not expect the Taoiseach’s office to gift them every State service.
In your article Mr Cosgrave is quoted as saying, “We don’t want a penny, we just need even the most basic traffic-flow management plan and resolution to the wi-fi situation in the RDS”, which is ironic given the fact that the Portuguese government will now fund the Web Summit to the tune of €1.3 million. And it is not the State’s responsibility to provide wi-fi at a private venue. – Yours, etc,
SÉAMUS KEARNEY,
Dublin 8.
Sir, – To recap, start up in Dublin, take money from State agencies to support your new venture, create a reputation for yourself, bask in the limelight, then throw your rattle out of the pram and stamp your foot when you are not plámássed enough. – Yours, etc,
VALERIE MORRISSEY,
Lucan,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – The difficulties the summit organisers experienced in getting access to senior politicians while receiving over €700,000 in financial support illustrates clearly how leaders value their time more than our money. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN O’BRIEN,
Belgooly,
Co Cork.
Sir, – The fallout from the decision to move the Web Summit from Dublin to Lisbon continues. The recently released emails show that it wasn’t a case of somebody deciding that Mr Cosgrave’s demands were excessive. Instead the emails show that there was no single person who could make that decision. The organisers were shuffled from one pointless meeting to another until they just gave up and moved on.
Contrast that with the situation here in Barcelona where the mayor was recently able to sign an extension with the organisers of the Mobile World Congress to host that event through to 2023. The contract stipulated the availability of 29,000 hotel rooms with price rises limited by inflation as well as traffic measures, including VIP access to taxi lanes. It even guaranteed that the new metro line between the airport and the Congress venue would be open ahead of the next event in 2016. Yes, an airport metro opening in 2016, not 2026. – Yours, etc,
DONAL QUINN,
Barcelona,
Spain.
Sir, – The Government’s lacklustre engagement with the organisers of the Web Summit is a perfect example of their apathetic attitude towards innovation and entrepreneurship. Unless it is a “jobs announcement” with an accompanying photo-opportunity, then they are not really interested. It compounded its apathy with arrogance by claiming to have funded the summit with €725,000 over a three-year period, although later it became clear that this money was to buy advertising space for State agencies in the same manner that state agencies from abroad bought advertising space at the summit. Dublin’s loss is Lisbon’s gain. – Yours, etc,
JOHN BELLEW,
Dunleer,
Co Louth.
Sir, – Oh , what a tangled web summit we weave. – Yours, etc,
JENNY MAGUIRE,
Raheny,
Dublin 5.
Sir, – I cannot help but wonder if the Government put as much effort into saving the Web Summit as it did trying to salvage the Garth Brooks concerts last year, whether it would have had more success. The Web Summit was supposedly worth €100 million over a couple of years and the Garth Brooks concerts worth possibly €30 million. The prestige of hosting the Web summit in Ireland could add more value to the future of our young entrepreneurs than Brooks’s music.
Many Ministers and the Taoiseach were lobbied to try and save the concerts. Yet we are asked to believe it is solely the fault of Paddy Cosgrave that the summit has now gone to Lisbon. It is time the Government listened to the concerns of the organiser. Will we ever learn? – Yours, etc,
PADDY McGOWAN,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 16.
Sir, – I wonder exactly which VIPs were of such public importance that they needed a publicly funded Garda escort? – Yours, etc,
ALISON HACKETT,
Dún Laoghaire,
Co Dublin.