Shane Cassells (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank all our witnesses for appearing before the committee to discuss the escalating costs in this sector and how the issue is being addressed and teased out with the key stakeholders in the area.

A quick look on my laptop at a booking website shows that in Dublin tonight only six properties have rooms available. There is a hotel where 300 Deputies, journalists and others gathered just a few weeks ago for a quiz night. A room in that hotel is going for the knock-down rate of €797 tonight. I am going to Spain next month and got return flights for three people yesterday for €731.55. That is a difference of €65.45. I would have enough with that to buy myself and Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan here a round of drinks in Temple Bar tonight. What I have heard today is that there has been a misrepresentation of the discourse on the issue of pricing and rates and that there is value if people book months in advance. I think everyone here would accept that. What I do not accept, in particular as a sports fan, is, if there is a big game in Croke Park or the Aviva or a concert in the 3Arena, the exploitation that can happen, with hotel rates going through the roof. It is fundamentally wrong and is exploiting Irish people. The cost of a steak to a restaurant does not go from €25 to €100 the same day as an all-Ireland final; it stays at €25. Suddenly, however, the sector thinks that just because 80,000 people are coming into the city, it can exploit that situation.

I will ask my questions. I am looking at Mr. Fenn, who is a regular contributor here. In his conclusion and his analysis of the situation he termed this a short-term disruption to the market. Everyone has his or her own choice of words, and I accept what Mr. Fenn said. I would term it a short-term exploitation of the market due to a number of scenarios. What I am asking Mr. Fenn, following on from what Mr. Kelly said about the damage to Dublin city and the country and our reputation from a tourism point of view from this going on at the moment, is whether he accepts that our reputation in respect of the pitch to foreign and domestic customers will be highly damaged if I can book flights to Spain for three people for a price that is cheaper than the cost of staying tonight in this city.

Mr. O'Mara Walsh talked about the fact that industry and Government must adopt a medium-term view and pro-business and pro-tourism policies. The Government has very much adopted a pro-business and pro-tourism policy, which Mr. O'Mara Walsh has acknowledged, not only in the support it has provided but also in acceding to the request made in respect of the VAT rate in order to give people a fighting chance to provide services, given that there have been staffing pressures. However, that is not operating as a two-way street. The support is not coming back. Pro-business and pro-tourism policies have been put in place. Where is the buy-back for the consumer in respect of that two-way street? I will start with Mr. O'Mara Walsh.