Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

After last night's announcement the horse has well and truly bolted and the barn door is closed. The explanations being offered to the committee today are riddled with contradictions. To compare it to a football match, this is akin to what happened between Germany and Brazil, with many own goals scored by the management of Dublin City Council.
Last week a senior member of the Garda stated at an Oireachtas committee meeting that they have no difficulties in terms of logistics for the five concerts or in terms of security provision. That is a well-known fact and it is a vital matter in the organisation of these five concerts.
Having been a member of Kerry County Council, I know that the now retired Kerry county manager, Mr. Tom Curran, always regarded his role as manager as being proactive in economic activity, particularly in the provision of jobs in tourism. I believe Dublin City Council management has lost sight of that. It would not happen in my county. A proposal for something similar to the Garth Brooks concerts in Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney, for instance, would be welcomed with open arms. Any snags that might exist would be removed. This has been a disaster to put it mildly. Would the representatives of Dublin City Council present regard it as being a major faux pas, a huge mistake and a huge loss economically?
In recent years we have retrieved our reputation which had been in tatters in the eyes of the world because of our economic and financial situation. However, I think this has done major damage worldwide, particularly to the image of Ireland as a tourist destination.