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Dunne urges shoppers: go to Northern Ireland
Monday, 16 February 2009
Ben Dunne has called on shoppers in the Republic to take their business to Northern Ireland to force southern retailers to drop their prices.
The millionaire businessman has rejected claims that cross-border shopping is unpatriotic.
Dunne was speaking to Derek Mooney on RTE radio, after being invited on air to give tips on how to beat the recession.
His comments are likely to anger retailers in the Republic, not least his sister Margaret Heffernan and brother Frank Dunne, who run the family business.
Last year, Ben Dunne accused his sister of being a "robber" because of the 28pc price difference between Dunnes Stores branches north and south during a Joe Duffy interview.
Asked by Mooney about the retail sector, he told shoppers to take their business north.
"What I would say to the shoppers is keep going up north and eventually the retailers down here will have to reduce their prices," he said. "Vote with your feet."
Mooney asked if his comments were not unpatriotic.
"My father was from Northern Ireland," Dunne replied. "There was no stamp made in Britain on him. I see no difference between the north of Ireland and the south of Ireland."
Mooney then said it was members of government who had said it was unpatriotic.
"They are weak, weak leaders when they say that," Dunne continued, "It's one island."
Before Christmas, the Republic's Finance Minister Brian Lenihan urged shoppers to do their "patriotic duty" by not travelling north.
Superquinn said cross- border shopping was partly to blame for the closure of its Dundalk store.
Dunne's overcharging accusations last year were followed by a Pat Kenny interview in which he said he would turn the fortunes of Dunnes Stores around by firing three quarters of the people at the top.
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Comments
27 Comments
I wonder what the VAT and income tax rates would be or the price of a pint for that matter if NornIron had to stand on it's own two feet and balance the books? What would the carbon or dioxin emmisions per person be, oh lets just say for the month of July and would the good people be prepared to pay for carbon credits on the world market for this luxury? When British multiples go to buy next seasons coffee or quality European wine with a much weakened pound, we may see a realignment of prices. Meanwhile those of us lucky to be in the Eurozone will take advantage of this. It's called the open market. As for point scoring obsessed Little Britishers, don't forget that Derry & Strabane councils to name but two are buying their diesel in the Republic, again common sense.
Posted by Tommo | 18.02.09, 12:26 GMT
Sean, sean, sean.
Imagine for example if Iris Robinson had said that all Catholic children in NI were brought up to hate Protestants in the same way Nazi children were brought up to loathe the Jews.
Would you consider this ambassadorial? Would you consider her views as building bridges? Would you suggest her views were not irrational?
Thanks again for that apology.
Posted by mickey | 18.02.09, 12:13 GMT
Mickey you clearly didn't read my post.
Mary McAleese, a Northern Catholic who has made herself one of the most important people in the country, living in a luxurious mansion within the picturesque Phoenix Park and earning bucketloads of cash. I wonder what you would have against her then...let me think...
Posted by Sean | 18.02.09, 11:43 GMT
I sense an apology in there somewhere Sean. Not exactly what I wanted but it'll do.
In your bizarre eyes I am a bigot when I refer to Mary McAleese as an awful woman!!
I stand by this statement and she is no ambassador of mine. Now grow up.
Posted by mickey | 18.02.09, 10:57 GMT
Mickey, practically every post you make, has a sectarian, anti-irish, anti-gaa etc slant, no matter what the topic is.
You even bring managed to bring in Mary McAleese into this discussion (about shopping in Northern Ireland) and call her an 'awful' woman, when she has been a wonderful ambassador for Ireland for many years now.
I know you like a good wind up now and then like us all but you do get pretty tedious at times.
Posted by Sean | 17.02.09, 17:50 GMT
Sean, if you cannot provide any substance into your unfounded claim that I am a bigot, I will consider your post retracted and your humble apology issued.
Thanks in advance.
Posted by mickey | 17.02.09, 13:16 GMT
Mickey, I would start with the people.
There are definately less bigots like yourself in the south.
Posted by Sean | 17.02.09, 12:37 GMT
Unbelievable that whatever the article is it always ends up an argument about the partition of Ireland. And although Tom might find himself funny turing everything Mickey says around, he's just irritating and tedious.
Posted by Millar | 17.02.09, 12:16 GMT
Right into my hands Tom, well done mate!!!
As for some claiming "I see no difference between the north of Ireland (sic) and the south of Ireland (sic)."
Where would you like me to start?! LOL
Posted by mickey | 17.02.09, 10:01 GMT
Careful Steve, otherwise Mickey may give your post the "Mickey makes-no-sense makeover". I'll save him the time!
"If it wasn't for Britain, Ireland would never have been united in the first place"
LOL
Posted by Tom | 16.02.09, 16:40 GMT
I have to agree with Ben Dunne, the prices in the Republic are a complete rip-off, and there is no excuse for it, something somewhere is very wrong.
I can remember years ago, 1990 in fact, I went to London, and prices then where mad, pints at home were £1.20 for a pint, yet in London a pint was £3 and a bottle of beer could have cost £3.50; yet here we are in 2009 and Belfast prices match those of London, around £2.50 - £3 for a pint, the same as London is today, yet in the Republic, be it Cork, Kilkenny or Dublin, you can expect to pay £5 a pint? Why?
I have stopped going out in Dublin, as have all my friends that live in Dublin, a few pints in the local with your mates can run into a hundred Euro so quickly. And household goods and food are no different, a sandwich and coffee set me back €14 a few weeks back?
Anyhow, I'd just like to say welcome if you are visiting the Northern Ireland, it'd be good to see you, we're a friendly bunch really, just don't mention the war:)
Posted by Steven 73 | 16.02.09, 16:30 GMT
Is it really unpatriotic to not want to spend €150 on a shopping bill when the same products bought just miles up the road could cost you £90 or less? I don't think so. Fianna Fail seem to peddle Irish Republic patriotism as and when it suits them, yet the same party lays claim to the north and has even thought of unity with the SDLP. We in the north used to do the exact same thing and I can't recall anyone but the most loony of Unionist politicians ever call it unpatriotic. Dublin has priced itself out of the international tourism market to Belfast's advantage. A lesson is to be learned by Dublin businesses. Your greed for profit has made you uncompetitive. Belfast businesses take note too and look what's happened south of the border, stay realistic and don't start fleecing people for a quick buck.
Posted by Conal Stewart | 16.02.09, 15:45 GMT
"I see no difference between the north of Ireland and the south of Ireland."
Well said Ben, I couldn't agree more with you.
@ Penny
Quite clearly you don't have an economics education or background if you are spouting that rubbish. A penny for your thoughts on UK handouts(£9 billion p.a.) to NI to keep it afloat, and how long you think that will continue in this climate.
Whether you are nationalist or unionist, people like Ben Dunne, using a public forum to call out business people on their robbing antics has to be good for society. We should definitely vote with our feet.
Posted by Alan | 16.02.09, 15:41 GMT
Check your history Steve. You may find that there is a lot of history in Ireland that pre-dates the battle of the Boyne, or Strongbow, for that matter. You may even find that the Britian you refer to was a completely different entity to what it is today.
Posted by PC | 16.02.09, 15:37 GMT
HA! The "North of Ireland" brigade using this as an anti British opportunity then? Tell ya what, why don't you just move to the republic and pay through the nose for everything due to the poor mismanagement of an incapable government? The British economy may be in a mess, but the Republic of Ireland really dropped the ball on this one and i'm sure even the most hardened republican is tempeted to spend his Euro in a Northern Ireland shop....
Posted by Chris | 16.02.09, 15:31 GMT
Tom, it is NORTHERN Ireland (and we are not "united" with the UK, we are an integral part of it by international recognition),
Posted by Centaur | 16.02.09, 14:07 GMT
I think Ben Dunne has an excellent point to make. If the shops in the South put lowered their prices it might boost tourism in the South and thus boost their economy. It is the lesser of two evils.
Posted by Sorcha | 16.02.09, 13:51 GMT
Steve - wise up!
'If it wasn't for Britain Ireland would never have been united in the first place'.
History obviously not your strong point. Britain caused the whole conflict.
Anyway I'm happy to earn my mighty euros in the south and pay my mortgage and make my purchases in the north - best of both worlds.
Posted by Sean | 16.02.09, 13:09 GMT
Careful Steve, otherwise Tom may give your post the "Tom makes-no-sense makeover". I'll save him the time!
"If it wasn't for Ireland, Britain would never have been united in the first place"
LOL
Posted by mickey | 16.02.09, 13:04 GMT
If it wasn't for Britain Ireland would never have been united in the first place. This island is fractured and it will always be fractured
.... Britain is great, we need Britain, blah blah. The insecurity of ulster unionism is fascinating - always looking towards Britain for validation and support. While in reality most in Britain consider them spongers and wish they would hop it!. Have they ever considered having some dignity and standing on their own two feet!?
Posted by Jake M | 16.02.09, 13:03 GMT
27 Comments