Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

My analysis is that in any business, if one wants to look after one's customers or make it cheaper for them, one does not talk about it but just gets stuck in. My impression is that it is akin to the people in the stand in Croke Park who know how to win the all-Ireland but if they are asked to put on the jersey they do not want to do it. There is one way to do this in order to provide competition. Virgin Atlantic and every other airline should be prepared to put on the jersey, as that is how one makes competition. It is the same in any walk of life. If I have a shop down the road and someone else also has a shop then we are in competition. I do not know where this is coming from - perhaps it is the EU - but there is no competition in banks in this country at the moment, and I do not think the EU is overly worried about competition in airlines. We would appreciate it more if Virgin Atlantic said it would come into the Irish market and put it up to everyone else, including Aer Lingus. Virgin Atlantic should consider that, rather than pointing out things in the same way all of us can, like the hurler on the ditch. I would advise Mr. Thompson to consider getting involved in the Irish market. In case he is not aware, we have great airports in Ireland, including those in Knock, Limerick, Cork and Dublin. Virgin Atlantic's approach should be to bring competition to the market.