As I walked through an industrial estate this morning it occurred to me there is one thing that Ireland is doing totally wrong.
We are allowing Ireland become a defeated scrap yard. I passed by unit after unit, boarded up, shutters down, overgrown, broken up footpaths, weeds taller than me!
What is the first thing a hotel does when a customer leaves a room, is it a) leave the beds a mess, and let the next customer clean it, or is it b) Employ someone, invest in it, at possibly a short term loss, to clean it, freshen it up and make it look the most inviting that it can, and advertise it as somewhere to stay even if means at knock down prices.
Likewise these run down industrial estates could easily afford to invest in some care takers. Even if it is with the help of Government to make with the long term goal of preparing for new tenants and foreign investment, it could also take people of the dole, thus saving money and seeing a return to people being able to spend money.
We have one of the potentially best tourism destinations in the world, with our greenery, history, and the old ‘Cead Mile Failte’, that disappeared during the years of the Celtic Tiger, it’s time to brush ourselves down and reclaim it.
Ireland is like a 5 star hotel, just needing a lick of paint, budget deals for tourist and investors alike, and an enthusiastic work force. One business unit generating a little revenue is better than 1000 business units generating no revenue.
Now the next question is where does this investment money come from? The truth is it wouldn’t take a whole lot, with the money that people are getting on the dole topped up a little by a scheme to get Ireland going, taken from the rents and rates being paid from the working businesses in the area, it could be done at very little cost, considering the long term return.

