Click here to go to newsletter index Welcome to Travel Directories Ireland Newsletter for Spring 2005

In this Issue:

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Click here to go to top of pageTourism News

Bar Sales

A report, commissioned by a group representing scottish publicans and brewers called "Against an Outright Ban", claims that the smoking ban cost Irish pubs €:117 million in 7 months and caused a 5·9 percent drop in employment at bars and nightclubs in 5 months.
more... (.pdf)

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Ireland insisted the report was grossly misleading and inaccurate and claim that high alcohol prices are the primary cause of the falloff in bar sales.
more...

Bar sales are estimated to have fallen by between 3·8% and 5·8% (€:85m to €:100m) in the first nine months of the smoking ban according to Barkeeper.ie, much less than VFI estimates of 29%.
more...

Barkeeper.ie also have a European drinks price comparison table here.

Hotelliers are seeking a further relaxation of the 9pm bar limit for children which the IHF have branded as anti family.
more...

Travel and Tourism Statistics

The Central Statistics Office have released Travel and Tourism statistics for Q4 2004. There were 1,428,000 overseas visits to Ireland in the fourth quarter of 2004 compared with 1,360,000 in the same period in 2003, an increase of 5%. The following table shows where visitors came from and the type of accommodation they chose.
more... (.pdf)

,000 Bednights Great Britain Other Europe USA & Canada Other Areas
2003 2004 % +/- 2003 2004 % +/- 2003 2004 % +/- 2003 2004 % +/-
Hotel 4,306 4,034 -6.3 2,414 2,795 +15.9 3,095 3,199 +3.4 463 635 +37.1
Guesthouse/B&B 2,156 1,891 -12.3 3,106 2,930 -5.7 1,798 1,692 -5.9 410 466 +13.7
Rented House/Apartment 2,660 3,012 +13.2 3,594 3,806 +5.9 1,362 1,167 -14.3 1,127 833 -26.1
Caravan/Camping 401 334 -16.7 656 573 -12.6 8 21 +162.5 11 42 +281.8
Hostel 261 255 -2.3 954 822 -13.8 313 315 +0.6 181 233 +28.7
Friends/Relatives 7,184 6,615 -7.9 2,823 3,186 +12.8 1,722 1,713 -0.5 1,394 1,517 +8.8
Other 855 845 -1.2 2,773 2,369 -14.6 536 683 +27.4 282 622 +120.6
Total 17,823 16,986 -4.7 16,320 16,481 +0.9 8,834 8,790 -0.5 3,868 4,348 +12.4
 
Total Tourist Accommodation 9,784 9,526 -2.6 10,724 10,926 +1.9 6,576 6,394 -2.8 2,192 2,209 +0.8

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Click here to go to top of pageTravel News

Travel News

Open Skies

Jacques Barrot, the EU's transport commissioner, is to visit Washington next week to try to revive the EU/US "Open Skies" talks which broke down last year. The EU are to commence "Open Skies" negotiations with China and Russia later this year.
more...

A report commissioned by Chambers of Commerce of Ireland estimates that an open skies agreement with the USA could boost Irelands economy by 10%. The report, entitled "EU/US Air Transport Agreement - Potential Impact on Ireland", identifies Dublin Airport and Aer Lingus as major beneficiaries of such an agreement and makes recommendations for Shannon Airport and the West generally to counter the effects of Shannon losing its dual gateway status.
more... (.pdf)

Aer Lingus

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is eager to press ahead quickly with a decision on private investment in Aer Lingus according to a report in the Sunday Business Post. The report also states that the cabinet is expected to move on a range of national aviation issues directly after Easter.
more...

Meanwhile former Aer Lingus boss Willie Walsh is to be the next CEO of British Airways.
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Air Passenger Compensation

The EU has enacted laws promising compensation to stranded and delayed airline passengers.Although the laws came into force on the 17th of February, the EU already faces two legal challenges to the rules.
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Western Rail Corridor

An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern announced in the Dáil this month that the finances for the Western Rail Corridor are already with the Department of Transport and that it will be part of the ten-year rail plan. The Government is expected to approve the project after an expert group present them with a report on the viability of the project next month.
more...

Dublin Airport

Dublin Airport recently submitted a planning application to Fingal County Council for a new parallel runway to be completed by 2011
more...

New Routes

EuroManx to start flying three new routes from Galway. Flights to London City airport and Paris to begin in April with a third service to Malaga starting in June.
more...

Easyjet are operating services to London Gatwick twice daily from Cork and once daily from Shannon since the 28th of January, with a twice daily service from Shannon and a daily service from Knock to begin in April. Easyjet services from Belfast International Airport to Geneva, Inverness, Palma (Majorca), Berlin and Rome will start in July 2005
more... (LGW)
more... (BFS)

Ryanair have announced 6 new routes from Europe to Dublin; Biarritz, Carcassonne, Doncaster, Eindhoven, Frankfurt & Rome and a daily service from Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield. The new routes will commence operation in April 2005
more...

Hapag-Lloyd Express started a service from Shannon to Cologne Bonn on the 12th of March.

Jet2 are starting a service from Belfast International Airport to Bournemouth on the 23rd of March.

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Click here to go to top of pagePoem

St. Patricks Prayer

I take for my sureties:

The power of God to guide me,
The might of God to uphold me,
The wisdom of God to teach me,
The eye of God to watch over me,
The ear of God to hear me,
The word of God to give me speech,
The hand of God to protect me,
The way of God to go before me,
The shield of God to shelter me....

Christ be with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

-St. Patrick

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Click here to go to top of pageFinal Thought

There's no limit to what you can accomplish as long as you don't care who gets the credit.

Happy St Patrick's DayHappy St Patrick's DayHappy St Patrick's DayHappy St Patrick's DayHappy St Patrick's DayHappy St Patrick's Day

Beannacht Dé dhibh go léir ar lá Fhéile Phádraig.

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