Mr. Pat Dawson:

I will do that. I thank the Deputy for speaking for us in the Dáil some time ago because we seldom hear travel agents mentioned. Nobody mentioned them yesterday, which was disappointing considering we have met Ministers who have had positive attitudes towards us. Kindness is no good when it comes to keeping our doors open.

A booking through a travel agent falls under the package travel directive, a piece of EU legislation under which the travel agent is made responsible from start to finish. If the package is cancelled or does not happen because of a pandemic or a world war, no matter what happens, the legislation states that the travel agent is supposed to pay a refund within 14 days whether or not it receives the money back from the airline or hotel involved. It is crazy stuff.

We are members, and I am on the board, of the European Travel Agents' and Tour Operators' Association, ECTAA. There are moves afoot to change that legislation. As Deputy Lowry has said, the implications of that directive could close a business tomorrow morning. We must fight with our suppliers to get the money back. At the same time, the consumer is banging the door down and demanding money because the legislation insists that the travel agent pays back the money. Our staff throughout the country, the 3,500 people employed in the industry, have a banging on both sides of their heads as they try to look for money. It is not sustainable and something will have to be done. The legislation arrived in Ireland without too much thought given to it and is not fit for purpose.