Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We have not historically had the population numbers or density to have a vast rail system. We know what happened in the 1950s. Everybody bought cars and did not want to use trains anymore and so on. In aviation, there are few countries in the world whose population has managed to go all over the globe and get involved. Some of the Ryan family were involved in Singapore at one stage. There is an awful lot of aviation history in this country but a lot of the world does not appreciate that. I am sure some people do not even know that Ryanair is Irish. Most people probably do, with the harp on the tail of the aeroplanes, but Ireland represents only approximately 8% of Ryanair's traffic. It is enormous in Poland, Germany, Italy, Spain and many other places. Having started in the 1980s with one propeller plane going from Waterford to London, for Ryanair to be where it is now is an enormous success story, an Irish success story. Many other countries would be very proud if Ryanair was theirs. We are proud of it. It is an enormous story, as is our entire existence with regard to aviation leasing and everything that has come from it. Many other aspects of Irish culture will be highlighted when the conference delegates are here. We have great links to hospitality and so on. I am sure there will be evening entertainment and plenty of off-site networking in the general Ballsbridge and wider areas, including the city centre, which is important from the point of view of Irish tourism. We must allow people to see that we are the Ireland of the céad míle fáilte.