LEE KIDNEY,
Sir, - The price comparisons raised by Joe Byrne (June 17th) are of serious concern to anybody involved in the business of welcoming visitors to Ireland.
We just could not compete with the €13.35 meal he enjoyed in Spain. An Irish hotel or restaurant would pay about €7 for the sole and €4.20 for a half bottle of relatively ordinary wine - a total of €11.20 which, including VAT, will rise to €13. Almost as much as he paid in Spain - before adding the cost of the other food he enjoyed, the cost of labour overheads, and any element of profit. Clearly we are trading at a huge disadvantage to at least one of our European neighbours. - Yours, etc.,
LEE KIDNEY, The Rise, Mount Merrion, Co Dublin.