Eighteen months ago, we had the temerity to suggest that the raft of new hotels being built and opened in Ireland – more than one a week opening on average over the past two years – had no future, other than perhaps as old people's homes.
A letter in today's Irish Times, from Noelle Cronin, of Ashford in County Wicklow, suggests that we might have overlooked something.
Ms Cronin writes: “The Burlington Hotel is up for sale, ready and waiting to be occupied. The HSE needs individual bedrooms with bathrooms. Why not?”
Why not, indeed! And just think how many other white elephants the HSE can occupy over the next years! Where to begin...
So, Mary Harney can shelve her costly plans for private hospitals on public sites, and indeed arrest the entire hospital building development programme. The billions granted in tax breaks can now be reclaimed as the HSE buys hotel after hotel at knockdown prices in the inevitable fire sale that must result from so many having been built so quickly.
Waiter, could you call me an ambulance, please...
