The Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke, wants to see an end to the Bank of Ireland foreign exchange monopoly at Dublin Airport.
Reacting to demands for the introduction of competition in the changing of money at the nation's busiest airport, she told the House she would be asking the chairman of Aer Rianta to ensure that more than one bank could offer the services when the concession came up for renewal in two years' time. The current concession was awarded to the bank, following a competition, in 1993, when the number of passengers using the airport was less than half the present level.
Mr Shane Ross (Ind), who had earlier raised the issue in the debate on a Bill dealing with the future evolution of the airports authority, urged the Minister to insist that at least two banks would have the right to offer currency transaction facilities at the airport.
Ms O'Rourke agreed there would seem to be a need for more robust competition because the 13 million-plus people using the airport annually were a "captive audience".
The leader of the House, Mr Donie Cassidy, argued that the £2.50 charge on each currency transaction seemed reasonable in view of the extended service offered by the bank during unsocial hours, but Mr Ross scathingly rejected this contention, saying that the bank's profits were made on the margins between the rates at which foreign currency was bought and sold. The £2.50 charge was just a rip-off.
Mr Liam Fitzgerald (FF) suggested that the Competition Authority look at the claimed discrepancy between the airport and the "downtown" rates.
Mr Ross thanked the Minister for her "extremely positive and constructive response".