Ms Niamh McCarthy:

To a degree, we have known that we would have to have this structure put in place. Everybody knows that, although not all the intricate details, yet it was only actioned this year. I would imagine that has been in the planning so why have the companies been told this when they have invested in their turnarounds here? That is our question. As I stated at the outset, I have been doing this for 25 years. It concerns my reputation as well. I have gone out there, through my own company funding, to promote Ireland when Fáilte Ireland was not a member. When it did not give me or any of my colleagues sitting beside me any funding, I went out and promoted Ireland. I did not do that single-handedly but, together with the ports and my colleagues, we have created this industry in Ireland. Fáilte Ireland has never given us funding. We have never been recognised because, as Mr. O'Connor said, we do not offer bed nights. I take it personally that somebody has that power to turn away an industry that we worked so hard to grow and that is growing across the world. Ports are crying out for these ships and they will be gone in a heartbeat because when we do not want them, Lisbon and Amsterdam will take them. That is my concern.