Ekka, I don't work for Cityjet, I work across the road for Ryanair. I can tell you what is upsetting people though, because the same thing happens over here too. Neither of these airlines pays an appropriate salary or has terms and conditions good enough to attract and retain experienced European Nationals with JAA licenses.
They then somehow get permission from the Government for work permits for a host of Nationalities like Americans and Brazilians to name but a very few. You come over and work for this lower salary; you exploit yourselves and the others here. This is doubly galling as there is no way in hell that a US carrier or the government would allow this. The fact that these airlines have convinced the Government in Ireland there is a genuine shortage of Pilots is a scandal. What puts the cherry on the cake, and I say this loud and clear- I am not talking about Cityjet Pilots, some of these people coming in then do not pay any income tax, anywhere.
I would just like to add that I am not a member of the BNP or a xenophobic nutcase. I have many good friends on the flight deck from the host of Nations. This is not about you as an American. It is about the Government allowing a situation to develop that should never be there.
Although it angers me my professionalism, which is our downfall sometimes with these exploitative employers, stops me from treating my oversea colleagues any different.
Welcome to Ireland, the Guinness does taste better and the girls are beautiful!