Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

The accumulated losses in this case are €6 million. Let it be remembered that, contrary to the impression being put about, these hotels never got State subvention except at one stage in the 1980s when the State debt needed to be cleared, largely taxes due to the State at the time. That is the full extent —€6 million in accumulated losses compared to our willingness to give €125 million for the construction of new hotels. That is the financial record. Dublin Airport Authority has never made any secret of the fact that it did not want these hotels. It never permitted reinvestment to the extent needed as this would take up its borrowing capacity. They always made plain that they did not want it. The same situation obtained in CERT, where there was never a clear commitment to develop and invest in these hotels and establish necessary international linkages.

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