Madam, - The decision of the European Commission against Ryanair's sweetheart deal at Charleroi seems to have provoked an explosive reaction from business leaders in this country, and not just Michael O'Leary. ISME's Robert Berney has condemned it as "interference in the open market to the detriment of the consumer and business". Mr Berney has said a mouthful - not, however, the mouthful he meant to, I suspect.
Firstly, the Commission's decision takes the state out of the market. What cannot be denied is that the Belgian taxpayer was subventing Ryanair to fly in and out of Charleroi. There is no two ways about this, the clownish antics of Michael O'Leary notwithstanding.
Secondly, the fact that Mr Berney regards the state subvention of private business as a "free market" speaks volumes about the attitudes of this country's business community. For years, that section of society has pilloried public sector companies as being parasitic on taxpayers, but now it appears that sauce for the goose is bad for the gander. Thirdly, I would challenge his implication that the interests of business are identical with those of the consumer.
Truth be told, our business people are neither particularly bright nor energetic, much as they would like us to believe otherwise. They have no uniquely original offerings to make to society, nor are they going to turn the world into some kind of consumer's paradise, if only the big bad wolf of government would get off their backs and set them free.
Quite the opposite, in fact, as the Charleroi case amply demonstrates.
When even the flag-carrier of the free market has its snout firmly buried in the public trough, just exactly what are the boys and girls at ISME going to do to lighten our load? - Yours, etc.,
DAVID SMITH, Harmonstown Road, Artane, Dublin 5.