Its not just old bangers been left behind either. Luxury cars such as the BMW 5 Series have been abandoned. The DAA have had to employ a company to deal with the abandoned cars as well as getting in touch with banks in order for them to repossess cars.

In most cases the owners of the cars have not bothered to contact their lending institutions to let them know that they will no longer be making payments or to tell them where they have left the car.

There are up to eighteen thousand cars parked in Dublin Airport everyday so it can take some time to notice cars which are not being collected. The DAA have a license plate recognition system which allows them to check if certain cars are still in their car parks.

Banks may also be left to pay for the car parking bill which can run to as much as €40 a day. This means if a bank wants to claim ownership of the car then they must pay the parking bill. The economic situation in Ireland has meant that many people are not able to keep up their loan repayments.

According to the Merlin Motor car sales group over 8000 vehicles have been repossessed in Ireland in the last twelve months.

One county well worth a visit is Wicklow also known as the Garden County. Enniskerry is the place to be if you are looking for a nice relaxing place to visit with some wonderful scenery. Powerscourt estate and gardens are a must see. They are located at the foot of the Wicklow Mountains and include walled gardens, picturesque lakes and hidden hollows.

A short drive in your Dublin Airport car hire will bring you to the highest waterfall in Ireland. The waterfall flows over 140 meters into the Dargel Valley and truly is a sight to behold. Enniskerry itself is a very pretty village which is worth checking out for its craft shops.

The hill of Tara is a legendary place in Ireland and just a short trip outside Dublin. It was formally the seat of the high kings of Ireland. There is a visitor centre on the site which is certainly worth a look.  Close by is Newgrange where you will find some of the world’s best known passage graves. At this site you can see artwork which dates back as far as 300BC.

The national stud farm in Kildare may be of interest to horse racing lovers. It is located three kilometers outside Kildare town and is the best stud farm in Ireland. There have been many great horses bred here while in the museum visitors can see the skeletal remains of the famous racehorse Arkle.

Housed in the same location are the Japanese gardens. This is a fantastic spot for some relaxation and pleasant walking time. The Gardens have been perfectly preserved as a piece of Ireland’s heritage and are considered to be among the best Japanese Gardens in Europe.

Dublin a city with much to do and admire from historical landmarks to top shopping experiences and is now one of the most popular short break destinations in Europe.

Many of Ireland’s best galleries and museums can be found in Dublin. Many of these currently offer free admission. Ireland has a wonderful history in the arts. The Irish writer’s museum is certainly worth a visit for fans of Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, W.B Yeats and Samuel Beckett. This museum is located centrally at Parnell Sq, Dublin 1.

Many visitors will want to sample their favourite drink while in Dublin – Guinness. Located at St James gate, the Guinness Storehouse is worthy of a visit.  Superb views of the city are available at the top of the building while enjoying a free pint of Guinness as part of the tour.

Grafton St is the main shopping area in Dublin as is home to many recognized brands including HMV, River Island, Marks and Spencer’s and Brown Thomas (if you can afford it ). Henry St on the north side of the Liffey should also be paid a visit.

You may be in the midst of heavy traffic and fancy listening to the radio only to end up turning on your wipers or air conditioning which can be dangerously distracting in Dublin traffic.

Here are some helpful tips for you to get to know your Dublin Airport car hire before you hit the road:

• Carefully start the car and make sure everything is in order. Listen out for any strange noises.

• Check out the air conditioning. If you are arriving in Dublin at this time of year, you will most likely want some heat

• Check both inside and outside for any damage to the car. Bring any damage you find to the attention of your Dublin Airport car hire agent.

• Find a station you like on the radio so you don’t get distracted changing the radio when driving.

• Find the automatic switch for opening windows. This will save you fumbling about if you need to go through a toll booth.

• Find out where your fog lights are. They could well be necessary in Dublin at this time of year. Also make sure you know where the switch is for your windscreen wipers.

Follow these tips until you are comfortable with your Dublin Airport car hire, then you are ready to go…

• If you are planning a long drive then be sure to get a good nights sleeps. Coffee may give you a short boost but it won’t last.

• Even if you don’t feel you need it, it is advisable to take a short break from driving every two hours. Get out of the car and stretch those legs. Pull over to a safe place preferably a petrol stop.

• If you have paid for an additional driver option with your Dublin Airport car hire then take turns driving.

• If you are travelling alone, put on the radio to help keep yourself alert

• Don’t even drink one alcoholic beverage before driving. You may think you are fine but a breathalyzer test may think differently.

• Don’t use a mobile phone while driving unless you have a hands free set in your car hire. You may be fined for this in Dublin.

• Many Irish radio talk shows offer regular traffic updates. Keep an ear out for these as they could save you some time

• Don’t be afraid to ask for directions (even if you’re a man). We Irish are a friendly lot!

• Don’t leave any valuables in clear sight when leaving the car

• Do your homework on Irish road signs.

• Go to a supermarket to stock up on healthy snacks if you are going on a long trip. Petrol stations in Ireland are not cheap for snacks. Bring plastic forks, cups and napkins.

• Always wear your seatbelt! Back seat and front.

Nine of the flights were scheduled for the 25th and one on the morning of the 26th. Aer Lingus officials say that over 1,300 passengers were affected by the cancellations.

A spokesman for Ryanair was unable to say how many of their customers were affected by the problem.

The fault was pinpointed to Swanwick Control Centre in Hampshire. The problem was resolved after 3 hours. The fault affected planes coming into and leaving Britain.

Long delays occurred on many Dublin Airport routes including Dublin to Heathrow, Dublin to Krakow, Dublin to Amsterdam and Dublin to Majorca Airport.

Aer Lingus and Ryanair both apologised for any inconvenience caused.

As well as their impressive medal haul, the team were also responsible for 5 world records and 25 personal best. Jason Smyth from Derry won 2 gold medals (100m and 200m)

Veteran Gabriel Shelly won a bronze medal in Boccia to add to the previous gold he won in 2000. Michael Mckillop won Gold in the 800m and 14 year old Darragh McDonald won an incredible silver in swimming

They have pleaded for the Irish Government to stop the DAA monopoly.

They believe a 25 million passenger terminal could be built for around EUR200m. Ryanair say the current situation could lead to passengers paying twice as much for charges at Dublin Airport over the coming years unless a competing terminal is developed. A competing terminal at Dublin Airport will lead to lower fares and better facilities.

Sometimes it can get very confusing when choosing the type of car you need for the trip.

You have to consider the number people you are travelling with you. If you are on a budget, you can choose the smallest model available. This is perfect for two passengers, it is easy to park and drive in cities.  Other car hire types available include Mini, Economy, Compact, Intermediate, Standard, Full-size, Luxury and Premium.

Colm Barrington is the new chief executive of Babcock and Brown and will take up office in September of this year. He is also the director of the Dublin Airport Authority will be resigning before taking his new position.

A year ago, he was able to do a report on the country’s health insurance industry. He stated that the industry was unstable, unpredictable, and poorly governed.  He requested the Government to encourage development in the size and the quality of the health insurance industry

The Board thanked Mr. Sharman, who will be succeeded by Barrington in the position he held and for  transforming the company into a publicly renowned one.

Mr. Barrington is an experienced yachtsman, and has represented the country in a number of International yacht races.